Sweetest of Dreams
by jaessa42
Summary: Draco Malfoy had known all year he was in over his head. When he is left for dead at the gates of Hogwarts, can he earn back the trust of the Order and the students to help insure a victory over Voldemort? Loosely follows the Trio's actions in book 7; more of an AU. Ginny Weasley centric. Brief mentions of mature themes (see A/N).
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _This has been a long work in progress (two NaNo's and a Camp), and I recently decided I just need to stop obsessing and put this out there. It could always be better - trust me, I can already guess some of the constructive crit and I have scenes I know I could fit in if I worked at it longer! - but I don't think this is a horrible story either and I'm interested in what y'all think._

 _I know I'll take constructive crit rough but I am welcome to it. Just know that some of the topics in this fic are personal. The self-harm and assault are personal topics and while they didn't necessarily play out this way for me personally, writing about them in this fashion has helped me on my recovery path. So while you might have crit on those, just know they're personal topics so it's not something I'm likely to change in future writing if included._

 _And that leads me to my_ _ **WARNING: there are brief descriptions of self-harm and a mention of rape in this fic (thus the high rating).**_ _If that is triggering for you, please reconsider reading this fic. I'd rather you stay safe than put yourself in a rough spot because of this fic. Your mental and emotional health and safety are much more important!_

* * *

 **Sweetest of Dreams**

Albus Dumbledore was dead.

Hagrid had ever-so-gently carried the Headmaster's body up to the Hospital Wing at the request of Madame Pomfrey, who insisted on running her checks over the Headmaster. Everyone knew he could not have survived the fall off the tower even if he had somehow survived the Killing Curse, but the matron insisted and no one had the heart to tell her no.

The matron clucked at the body of the Headmaster as she tried to hold back her tears. Ten minutes later, she finally took the Headmaster's damaged arm and gently pulled it out of his robes. The entire arm was black up to the shoulder; ashy tendrils had worked their way towards his heart. No longer able to hold back her tears, the matron gently placed Albus' arm next to his body, but didn't bother to cover it up. She knew, as she cried, she needed to fulfil her last promise to the Headmaster and the evidence visible from the cursed ring would only strengthen her story.

"Minerva," she called out to the woman from behind the curtains she had put up. "I need you to retrieve a bottle of Veritaserum and a glass of water. Filius," she called for the Charms master she knew had to be waiting with Minerva, "Could you please gather Mister Potter, Miss Granger, and Mister Weasley here?"

She heard scrambling near the curtains and Minerva poked in her head. She had an odd look on her face. "Poppy?" she asked, curious. "Veritaserum? And the Gryffindor trio? What do you intend?"

"I have a secret to tell, a secret concerning Albus' death. And I want no one to doubt my statement. Mister Potter will need to know this if he is to succeed in fulfilling the prophecy," Poppy whispered, tears still falling silently down her face. Minerva's eyes widened and she nodded before turning to gather what Poppy had requested.

-x-

Filius found the trio just outside of the Hospital Wing. He saw their downtrodden faces, though he noted there were no traces of tears. Whether they had been wiped away hastily and a charm applied or they were waiting to break down in private, Filius didn't know, but the strength it took for them either way reassured him that they would be able to handle whatever Poppy's news was.

"Madame Pomfrey would like the three of you to accompany myself and Professor McGonagall. She has information to share and has requested you specifically," he said quietly once the trio noticed him. They nodded somberly and followed him back into the room he had just left. The air in the Hospital Wing felt stuffy, as though one needed to escape from the truth that was hidden behind the one curtained bed.

Filius walked through the curtain to the bed, sure the trio would follow when they were ready. Harry turned to his two best friends, face set but eyes crying for help. He had been witness to his mentor's death and was not ready to face the body again so soon. A single tear fell from his eye, and Hermione quickly reached up to brush it away. "Whatever Madame Pomfrey has to tell us must be important if we must see the Headmaster, Harry," she said, logic kicking in before she, too, started crying. She pulled her friend into a tight hug. "And we'll all be here together. We don't have to go through this alone," she whispered.

Ron nodded his head sharply before wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Together," he whispered, affirming Hermione's words. Harry nodded, but took another moment to compose himself. When he was ready, the three moved towards the curtain and pulled it back. Harry avoided looking at the body on the bed, but Hermione immediately saw the blackened arm and pulled a hand to her mouth to stifle any gasp she might make.

Minerva had conjured chairs for everyone, and the trio soon seated themselves and focused on the matron. She looked each of them in the eye, then turned and did the same to Filius and Minerva. She sighed, knowing there was bound to be some anger with the news she had to tell and she wondered if this was the smartest way to reveal Albus' secret. She looked pointedly at Mister Potter and Minerva, the two most likely to cause issue, and she wondered if she could convince them to take a Calming Draught. With another sigh, she lifted the bottle of Veritaserum Minerva had brought her.

"What I have to say will not be easy to accept, but I trust that if I take this Veritaserum, you'll believe my words?" she asked, looking at the five one at a time for their affirmation.

"Who brewed it?" Harry asked, as she very much expected. She could feel his suffering, and mistrust of any potion right now that could have been brewed by the former Potions Master.

Poppy arched her eyebrow in disapproval, but she answered the question. "Severus did not brew it," she stated, noticing the flinch of nearly all five at the mention of his name. "This came from the Headmaster's office, brought by Minerva. Remember that Albus was Potions Master enough to brew his own," she explained, and turned to Minerva to confirm that is where the potion had been obtained. At Minerva's nod, Harry frowned but didn't protest her use of the potion.

She turned to the small glass of water, judged the amount, and took a sip before opening the potion. She poured just three drops into the glass of water, doing so where it was visible to everyone. Poppy replaced stopper in the bottle then turned to Filius. "I'll trust you, Filius, to ask the basic questions to determine if the potion is working," she said, waiting for his nod. Upon receiving it, Poppy drained the glass of water, and waited a few moments for the potion to do its work.

Filius waited three minutes before asking the first question. "What is your full name?"

"Poppy Pomfrey."

"What is your occupation?"

"Matron of Hogwarts."

Filius stopped, knowing he needed a question she would fight to answer, to prove to the others she was actually under the influence of the potion and unable to resist it. "Why did you choose to become a Matron at a school?" he asked carefully. Minerva gasped, and Poppy was momentarily stunned, trying to bite her tongue as she eyed the three sixth years sitting right there. Hermione looked at her with comfort, but the two young men seemed clueless. She fought for a moment but her mouth opened before she could stop it.

"I did not want another mother to lose her child due to lack of a healer on staff," she answered finally, as a tear slid down her face.

Filius nodded wisely, accepting the answer as truth. "The potion is working," he said apologetically, nodding at Poppy to begin once she was composed.

"Thank you, Filius," Poppy said softly. Gathering her courage she looked to the young Mister Potter. "Mister Potter," she said, some steel in her voice. "You are not going to like what you are about to hear, but you must hear it all the same. If you cannot accept I am telling you the truth, you will not receive the information you need to defeat the Dark Lord," she said. She watched his eyes narrow, but he nodded sharply. She noted that he had still not looked at the late Headmaster's body, but perhaps that would work in her favor by the end of her tale.

"Minerva, if I haven't finished in the next fifty minutes, I will need another dose of the potion," she said softly, noting the time on the clock and entrusting Minerva to remember as well. It was just past midnight, but her story could not wait until the morning.

"Albus Dumbledore came back with that accursed ring one night, his hand already blackened and useless by the time he got to me," she started, eyes unfocused as she tried to remember every detail. "He sent a patronus to Severus, and I did what I could to ease the suffering and stop the curse, but it was well beyond my knowledge. I could not remove the ring, and I could not stop the blackness from spreading. By the time Severus arrived, the curse had moved on to Albus' wrist. Upon seeing both the ring and the blackened hand, Severus snarled and asked why Albus had given into the temptation to put on one of Voldemort's items. I was shocked - both to hear that the two men both knew well what the ring was, and that Severus had uttered the You-Know-Who's name. He had never done so in my presence before, even when I tended to him after he was called." She paused here, not looking at any of the five gathered before her, but closing her eyes as a tear slid down her cheek.

"Albus, as cheerful as ever, pushed on and asked Severus if he could stop the curse that was on the ring. Severus thought for a moment, but shook his head, not able to look the Headmaster in the face. I am certain he regretted being unable to help the man he trusted as a mentor and feared as his Vow-maker." Minerva gasped at this, and Poppy realized the older woman had not known that Severus had previously taken an Unbreakable Vow with the late Headmaster.

"A Vow, Poppy? Truly?" she asked, as much for herself as for the others present.

Poppy nodded. "Yes. I was their bonder. When Severus returned to us, to the Light, Albus made him take an Unbreakable Vow. The Vow stated:

 _Severus, will you serve me, Albus Dumbledore, in the fight against Tom Riddle?_

 _Severus, will you do everything you can to protect Harry Potter until he defeats Tom Riddle?_

 _Severus, will you do whatever I, Albus Dumbledore, ask concerning my own health and eventual death?_

Severus answered in the standard, 'I will,' to all three statements. I completed the vow as their binder and knew I would be Severus' only other confidant concerning any actions of the Dark Lord. Severus took this vow on November first, nineteen eighty one. The day after Mister Potter's parents had been killed, though Severus had come to Albus months before," Poppy explained, looking Harry in the eyes as she recited the Vow. He could not hold her gaze as he understood the man he hated had vowed to protect him.

Hermione spoke up. "Pardon me, Madame, but do you mean to say Professor Snape Vowed to do anything the Headmaster asked him concerning how his life would end?" she asked, eyes calculating, and Poppy knew she was miles ahead and already putting together the pieces. The girl was brilliant - everyone knew it - and Poppy hoped she would be able to help the two young men sitting with her understand what she had yet to tell.

"Yes, Miss Granger, that is what I am saying," she confirmed softly. Poppy took a breath and continued her story. "When Albus confirmed that Severus could not stop the curse, he called for Fawkes. The phoenix appeared with the sorting hat, and moments later the Sword of Godric Gryffindor was in Albus' hand. He was unable to remove the ring, but he explained it needed to be stabbed if the dark magic in it was to be killed. I did not yet understand what he meant by that, but he asked me to hold his hand in place and asked Severus to take the sword and stab the stone in the ring. Something inside the stone fought Severus, but he managed to stab the stone and Albus sighed in relief.

"He later told the both of us that the ring had been a Horcrux," she said, again looking at Harry. His head snapped up at that word, and that is when Poppy knew. "That is where he took you tonight, isn't it Mister Potter? He had found another?"

Harry looked back at her, a bit afraid but nodded. "Yes," he rasped out, voice tired. "Yes, he has been training me all year on the hunt for the Horcruxes. Tonight's should have been the third, but I've opened it and it's not the real one. It was all worthless," Harry intoned, defeated.

"Not worthless, Mr. Potter. None of what has happened tonight has been worthless," Poppy said kindly.

"The horcrux was killed by Severus, but that did not break the curse that had befallen Albus. The curse continued to work its way up his arm, and there was nothing Severus or I could do to stop it. Severus and Albus figured out a way to slow the progression, but by Christmas the three of us knew Albus wouldn't live past the Leaving Feast this year," Poppy finally admitted. Minerva nodded; Poppy assumed Albus had at least told her the curse would continue to eat away at his arm and could not be stopped. Harry did not look completely surprised either.

Poppy looked at the clock - she had about fifteen minutes left before she would need another dose of the truth serum. "It was at Christmas that Severus was a bonder for an Unbreakable Vow between Albus and myself. Knowing his death was imminent, Albus wanted me to Vow to follow his wishes about his death, and to speak the truth as needed to allow Severus to continue his work. My vow was very similar to Severus' so many years before:

 _Poppy, will you serve me, Albus Dumbledore, in the fight against Tom Riddle?_

 _Poppy, will you do everything you can to protect Severus Snape in the fight against Tom Riddle?_

 _Poppy, will you do whatever I, Albus Dumbledore, ask concerning my own health and eventual death?_

My vows as a Matron already required much of this, pertaining to the health and care of both Albus and Severus, but the Unbreakable assured Albus he could die as he wished," Poppy said, a tear escaping her eye.

Minerva nodded at her to continue, so she would not need another dose of the potion. Wiping her eye with a finger, Poppy continued. "We continued in this way until last week. Albus came in and I checked the progression of the curse. At that point, it had nearly overtaken his shoulder. He knew better than I that this meant his time was nearly done, as the curse had only to progress to his heart and he would die a most painful death. I estimated he had only a week, perhaps ten days, left. Albus called for Severus that night, and the two came to my office here to hold the most serious discussion we could have. Albus was ready to plan his own death."

She stopped to let this sink in, and she knew she would need another dose of Veritaserum. Another three drops were added to a glass of water, and Minerva conjured her a chair, as the few minutes of overlap would be overpowering. She took one look at Harry and saw his anger was still present, but he also appeared confused. He hadn't argued so far with her story, but Poppy wondered if that was due to exhaustion or actual belief of what she spoke. She drank down the glass of water and waited a moment. Her mind was in a haze, and she took another minute for the haze to pass a bit before she addressed Harry.

"Mister Potter, I do believe you saw Mister Malfoy falter in his task tonight?" she asked quietly, struggling to ask questions through the serum. If she hadn't been staring at him so hard, she would have missed his flinch and steely gaze, but he nodded. She could tell he was getting angry, and moved to continue before he would explode.

"Albus knew of Mister Malfoy's task all year. Severus had taken another Vow with Mister Malfoy's mother, Narcissa, to protect the boy and complete his task if Mister Malfoy failed. Albus fully expected him to fail, but as Severus had already taken a Vow to allow Albus to die as he wished Albus was able to use this to his advantage," she explained, but was interrupted by Ron.

"Snape was to kill Professor Dumbledore when Malfoy failed, fulfilling both Vows and therefore not dying by breaking either of them," the redhead stated, one step ahead thanks to his previous knowledge of Unbreakables from his young experience with his twin brothers. He looked angry as well, but a look of understanding passed through his eyes.

Poppy nodded. "Severus would appear to be in Dark Lord's favor and therefore still able to protect Mister Potter by bring back knowledge of the Dark Lord's movements, while fulfilling both Vows. Albus could die quickly and without pain," she explained, head fuzzy but hoping the others would understand. She turned towards the Headmaster, wishing it was not she that was left to explain all of this, but it had been his final wish, a whispered question asked when Severus had left after the plan had been agreed upon.

"Albus explained that this would be best for the war effort, and, selfishly, best for him. He came to me again tonight, Mister Potter, before he left with you. I knew his shoulder was completely taken by the curse, and I saw the start of the ashy tendrils reaching for his heart," she whispered as she looked at the arm she had left uncovered. She urged the boy to look and see for himself, but she was not ready for the sob that left his mouth when he saw it. She gave him a few minutes to compose himself, and she let herself cry some tears as well.

When the young man's sobs had faded and he was being held by his two friends, she shakily told her story to the end. "We knew tonight was likely the last good night he would have. The curse would have reached his heart by tomorrow. Albus knew if the Death Eaters did not show up tonight per Mister Malfoy's instructions, he would die a gruesome death tomorrow. Severus had drawn the line at participating unless he had to by Narcissa's Vow. I had agreed to dose him with Dreamless Sleep tomorrow, but the three of us knew the pain would still be immense," she said before she broke down in sobs herself.

-x-

Ginny Weasley felt broken. The wizard who had helped her the summer after her first year, the wizard who had never looked down on her for trusting that diary, the wizard who kept her in school when so many wanted her gone, was dead.

Ginny knew Professor Dumbledore was not perfect, but she had to wonder if he had seen this coming. Though she was known as a brash and brave girl, Ginny was also quite observant. She had to be if she wanted to avoid the twins' pranks growing up, and she prided herself on noticing what others, except perhaps Hermione, failed to notice. She had learned that summer after being possessed by Tom that the Headmaster often knew more than he let on and that he allowed things to play out - to a point. Yes, he had freely admitted to her that he did not know it was she that the diary had taken in, and he had apologized profusely to her for it. But she knew that he had known it was Tom Riddle's workings. She had gleaned that from what he had told her, though he had not admitted that himself. It was then, at the young age of twelve, that Ginny realized the Headmaster treated situations much like chess. He could foresee a general outcome, and many paths to that outcome, and as the game went on he controlled it to the outcome he wanted. It just so happened that this often meant the pawns were people, and while he wanted the best and to keep as many as he could, sometimes he had to neglect some of his pieces.

She hated herself for thinking this way, but Ginny had seen it often enough once she started observing the workings of the school, particularly pertaining to Harry. The Headmaster knew what he was doing, and she strongly suspected he had known all year who had been behind the attempts on his life. She knew he had to have seen this coming, and she wondered why he hadn't stopped his own death. Ginny knew something was wrong with the Headmaster's hand - all of the school knew just by taking one look at the ashen limb - but was it something that could kill? Was this just another move in a never-ending chess match?

Ginny had not voiced any of this to the trio as they waited outside of the Hospital Wing earlier that night. She knew she shouldn't be there with them but she couldn't help herself. The Headmaster had been a mentor of sorts for her as well as the trio, as she would not have been welcomed back to Hogwarts without his support. She had worked hard to prove she was a strong witch and that he had made the right choice, and she wished she could say her goodbyes to him now. But she did not voice that to the trio either. She watched them, instead, as they grieved in silence. Hermione's eyes had a calculating look, and Ginny wondered if she was thinking through all the possibilities. Harry somehow managed to look broken and angry at the same time, and Ron was trying to keep up their spirits though it was obvious he didn't know what to say to do so.

When Professor Flitwick exited the Hospital Wing, Ginny shrunk back into the shadows behind the trio, knowing that while they had rights to be there in some sense, she likely did not. So as the trio followed the Charms professor into the room, she quickly made her way down to the Great Hall to head back to the common room from there. But as she approached the staircase that would lead her to her bed, Ginny stopped. She did not want to go back to the tower yet, to the mass of Gryffindors bound to be weeping and mourning. She was not sure she could bear that quite yet. So, switching paths, she went outside to the grounds.

She immediately noticed she was not the only student out of their common room tonight, and the professors who were outside with them did not seem to wish to enforce those rules tonight. Instead they directed Ginny to an illuminated area they were watching, but allowed enough space to still be able to grieve in peace. The other students, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and more than a few Gryffindors. She looked for Luna, but not finding her she chose a spot far enough away to clear her head but close enough for comfort.

Ginny refused to look at the spot his body had been found, and instead turned to look at the Forbidden Forest. In uncertain and difficult times, the forest had always calmed her mind for some reason. It was a dangerous place, but there was so much to see even at the edge it kept her mind focused and busy. This is what she needed now - she needed to be focused to think through everything that had happened.

Harry had told Ron, Hermione, and herself that Professor Snape had killed the Headmaster when Malfoy could not bring himself to do it. But rather than be taken in by Harry's anger at the two Slytherins, she listened to what the Headmaster had said through the entire exchange. It puzzled her. He had offered to help Malfoy, and that is when the Slytherin had faltered. Ginny didn't think he would have done it anyway. She knew something was off with him all year, and he had looked more and more frightened and near death the past few weeks. And then, of all things, Harry said the Dumbledore had asked Snape 'please.' Almost as if he was begging. Something did not seem right to Ginny, but Harry had been too angry and distraught at the same time for him to even think rationally. And that was when Hermione had gotten that calculating look in her eyes, assuring Ginny she was putting together the pieces with information Ginny herself did not have. No, Ginny didn't like Snape one bit, but she suspected there was more to Dumbledore's death than Harry had picked up on and Hermione wasn't ready to share.

Something was off, and Ginny was not sure that Snape and Malfoy were as guilty as they first appeared. Yes, the Killing Curse had been used, and yes, the Headmaster was dead, no one could argue that. But something in the way it was done did not make sense to Ginny. She knew the Headmaster had to have known about Malfoy - there was no room for doubt in her mind on that point. If he had known about the diary in her first year he had to have known about Malfoy this year, especially as the boy had practically wasted away. Ginny knew the Headmaster would not have missed that. Why did he allow himself to be killed? Snape might be a powerful wizard - in fact, she knew he was - but the Headmaster was the only person Voldemort feared, and rightfully so. Malfoy would have been no match for the Headmaster, even if the Headmaster was as weakened as Harry said he had been from earlier in the night. Ginny was certain Fawkes would have come to the Headmaster's aid if needed, just as he had done her first year.

"Definitely something odd," she said to herself, if only to comfort herself and try to explain away how the greatest wizard of the current age had passed away. She stared at the forest harder, as if it would give up the Headmaster's secrets.

Some time passed and she stayed staring at the forest, eyes starting to glaze over as she realized how tired she was. Ginny shook herself awake, not ready to fall asleep on this horrible night. She refocused on the forest, and turned her head to sweep the line of trees as she dug her fingernails into her palms, in effort to stay alert. She had just passed her eyes over the gate at the bottom of the hill when something flashed in the corner of her eye. Ginny jerked her head back, and saw two lumps that had not been there before. She stared for a moment, before one started moving. It was two people, her gut said, and she motioned to a professor to the gate when a rough cry was heard from down the hill. Ginny knew it had come from one of those lumps, and she rushed down towards the gate, two professors running after her.

She skidded to a halt as she drew closer to the gate. She knew that blond hair anywhere and she realized the cries of pain were coming from him. Draco Malfoy. She looked at the other lump and saw black hair, likely greasy, and she knew. Severus Snape was dead, and it sounded as if Draco Malfoy would die all too soon if he was not helped himself.

Ginny didn't know what made her beg with the professors, but she couldn't help herself. She could not stand to see another person die tonight, even if he was the reason for maybe both deaths tonight. "We have to take him to the Hospital Wing. Please! If only for him to later stand trial. Please," she begged, mind rushing.

Hagrid looked at her like she had grown another head, but the other professor nodded, then cast a stunning charm on Malfoy before opening the gate. The blond fell in a crumpled mass, and Ginny could see he was even worse off that she had thought. Hagrid picked up one man in each arm and started towards the castle. Ginny rushed after him, and then past him, bent on at least warning Madame Pomfrey before the two death eaters entered her hospital wing.

-x-

Ginny rushed into the Hospital Wing near tears and gasping, and stopped short, shocked to see the matron sobbing and those around her in tears as well. Then she saw the blackened arm of the Headmaster, and felt like she had been punched in the gut. She had been right - something more had been going on this year. But she couldn't think of that right now, she had to warn them before Hagrid arrived.

"Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey, Professor Flitwick, we need two more beds. I don't care if you expel me for it but you have to help him. I think he's going to die," she said, gasping and speaking around her tears, unable to hold back her grief at the sight of the Headmaster. "Please! Two beds," she begged.

At her cry they five turned and looked at her, but the matron immediately snapped to business. "Two beds for whom, Miss Weasley? Who is dying? What do I need to prepare?" she asked the girl, attempting to compose herself into her matron persona.

Ginny looked at her and prepared herself for the onslaught from Harry. "Draco Malfoy, ma'am. I think he's been beaten and left for dead," she said. She pushed on before Harry could speak out. "Severus Snape will need a bed too, but I'm fairly certain he is already dead." And with that, she waited for the anger as she stared at the Headmaster and sobbed.

Ginny did not notice the matron to go white, nor the trio to stay silent, and she barely noticed it was Professor McGonagall who guided her to her now-vacant chair in front of the Headmaster; her tears were falling too fast for her to think of why this might be. She missed the look that the professor shot Hermione, and she missed Professor Flitwick asking the two boys to please give her some space. They could stay, but must be respectful of the two patients being brought up, at least until they knew more. When Ginny's tears finally slowed, she noticed Hermione was holding her gently and that Madame Pomfrey had two beds ready, tears down her face but otherwise composed.

"Ginny," Hermione said gently. "I know this may come as a shock, and I don't know how to explain it gently. Madame Pomfrey took Veritaserum to tell her story, though I think I would have believed her without it. I've been noticing things this year - and I know you have too," she started, faltering a bit on how to break the truth.

"I know the Headmaster meant a lot to you your first few years here, and I hope that because of that, you can forgive him for the pain he caused when he planned this," she continued, pausing as Ginny gasped. Ginny looked at the Headmaster's arm again and she knew. She knew she had been right. Something odd had happened, and it had something to do with his blackened arm. "Madame Pomfrey explained that Professor Snape had taken an Unbreakable Vow to do whatever the Headmaster wished concerning the fight against Voldemort, to protect Harry, and even to how the Headmaster would die. And when Malfoy was tasked with his task this year, Professor Snape took another Unbreakable Vow to complete Malfoy's task if he failed," Hermione continued softly, staring at the Headmaster as she spoke.

"And, so, that's why Dumbledore had to beg him tonight," Ginny said, connecting the dots as they filled in her own suspicions. "To break his Vows would mean death, but to fulfil them would mean...this."

Hermione nodded. "Yes. The Headmaster allowed this to happen, though Madame Pomfrey said if it had not happened this way, that curse causing the blackening of his arm would have traveled to his heart by tomorrow and he would have died a much more painful death," the older girl allowed, voice faltering. Ginny hugged Hermione and the two cried. Ginny did not need to hear any more at that point. Her observations and quick mind filled in enough of the rest. The Headmaster had allowed Malfoy his chance in order to save Snape and allow himself a peaceful death.

And now, Snape was dead all the same.

With that thought running through her head, Hagrid arrived and Madame Pomfrey took over, directing Hagrid to put the professor in the bed next to the Headmaster, and Malfoy in a bed across the way, closer to the medicine chests and her own office. She shooed Hagrid out after that, and gave a pointed look to the two girls. Hermione squeeze Ginny, and whispered that she would keep the boys in line or force them to leave if things got out of hand. Ginny wished her luck, but stayed by the Headmaster's bed for a few moments more, before she heard a groan from the bed across the way.

Madame Pomfrey had reversed the stunning spell now that Professors McGonagall and Flitwick were back. She had already pulled a curtain around Professor Snape's bed and had turned to Malfoy - the professor was indeed dead. Ginny was startled by the noise coming from Malfoy, and she couldn't stop herself from going over to the bed and seeing how badly he had been hurt. She now noticed the spasms, and she knew of only one spell that could cause that after the fact - the Cruciatus. What had happened to Malfoy?

A raw murmuring was coming from the bed, and it took Ginny a moment to realize that Malfoy was trying to speak even while the matron stressed he needed to keep still, and quiet. Malfoy was fighting her, though, and though she had to strain to hear it, she could hear the fear in his voice. Fear of them, or fear of what had happened, she wondered? She brushed away a tear, and Malfoy jerked his face towards her at the sudden motion. He held her gaze and she saw not only fear in his eyes, but loneliness. His fingers jerked, and Ginny wasn't sure if it was due to the spasms or if it was actually a gesture for her to come forward, but she did anyway. As she drew closer, she could make out his pleas for Veritaserum, to tell them what happened. Ginny figured he could not be in his right mind because he kept begging for the truth serum, but he looked at her again as she grabbed his twitching hand, and she knew he was not crazy. He was afraid of dying, but more afraid he would die without the truth being known.

"He wants Veritaserum," she told the matron, though the hospital was quiet enough that everyone in the room could hear her. Professor McGonagall looked startled and looked to the matron as if asking for permission.

Madame Pomfrey looked at the boy for a moment between mending cuts enough to be able to spell them closed later. "Mister Malfoy, you are in no state to be speaking," she said before moving on to the next cut on his arm. Ginny knew there was worse on his back, and she could not look at the matron's work. Malfoy was murmuring again, repeating his pleas, insisting.

"Madame, he insists. I think…," she paused, then whispered so only the matron and the two professors closest could hear. "I think he is afraid he will die and it cannot wait."

Ginny realized she was still holding his hand when she felt it tighten, and she knew he had been listening to her as well. He started murmuring again, they needed to know. Potter needed to know. And when Ginny relayed that, Professor McGonagall stood up and walked over to the Headmaster's bed to pick up the bottle of Veritaserum Madame Pomfrey had used earlier that night.

Madame Pomfrey dropped the three drops of the potion right on his tongue, as he was in no state to be swallowing with water. "Professor, I insist I take some as well, so you may trust I relay his story accurately," she said, scared, but knowing it was the only way his story would be trusted. She was also, secretly, curious as to what had happened to the Slytherin Prince and why he had fallen so far the past few weeks. Another squeeze of her hand let her know he approved of her request, though he had not asked for it.

A glass of water later, and Professor Flitwick asked both questions to determine if the potion was, indeed, working. He leaned close to hear Malfoy on his own, and when he was assured the potion was working, Malfoy started in on his story. Ginny listened, and when she had as much as she could remember, squeezed his hand to stop him. Madame Pomfrey returned to her work while Ginny relayed Malfoy's words. She occasionally felt him twitch and moan in pain, but she pushed through.

"Severus dragged me away from the tower, insisting that we had to go back to the Dark Lord to let him know Dumbledore was dead," she began, realizing he would only speak of what happened after, to put him in this current state. "When we reached the other side of the gate, Severus gripped me and apparated away before I could escape. I knew what was to come. I had failed. The Dark Lord had assured me that a failure in my task would cost me the life of my mother, just as her life had been forfeit before he assigned it.

"My mother may seem cold to you, Weasley, but she was ever so much better than my father. Protecting her is the most important thing in my life. Protecting her from him...from my father. So I knew I was to see another death tonight, and I wanted to run. I wanted to save her. But Severus took us away before I could escape.

"Little did I know that Severus had already hidden her away from my father. I had received notes from her all year, but she had not once mentioned the Manor. Had I been focused, I would have noticed. Severus had hid her away in a safe house directly after I left for school, after I had received my task that would cost me her life. And this is where he took us when we left the grounds."

Ginny paused, and leaned back towards Malfoy, urging him to continue if he was able. The matron had moved to open his shirt, but Malfoy resisted. Ginny was not sure why, but he whispered for her to direct the matron to his back, and she did so, though in a questioning tone. Malfoy had shut his eyes against the pain, though, and started back in on his story. His words were coming fast, almost too fast, and she stopped him again before he could finish.

"Severus took me to that safe house to see my mother. She said that she was safe. She had saved up enough money for the both of us so we would not have to rely on my father any longer. She had been sending me money all year, which I had saved to run off with if necessary, but she had thought of that. She assured me she was safe, and that gave me the resolve to face the Dark Lord tonight.

"Severus admitted he was her secret keeper, and would not give up the secret even upon the threat of death. With that, we stepped outside of her wards and apparated to where the Dark Lord was gathered. I was immediately ambushed by my own father. Severus and I were separated - Severus to answer to the Dark Lord of performing my assignment, and I to my father.

"My father was furious. I don't think he was even thinking of my mother, he didn't even mention her once. No, instead, he repeated that the failure would have to pay, and the price would be its life. I did not at first realize that he meant me, but then the whip came out and at the first lash across my back, it clicked. It was to be my death I would see tonight."

Ginny looked at Malfoy, but he did not open his eyes. She thought he might break her hand with his grip, but she also knew that the pain she was feeling in her hand was nothing compared to the pain of the cuts, and what she now knew to be open whip wounds. Could he still be feeling all that pain through the numbing spells she was certain were used? She leaned down to whisper that he could continue, and she heard the rest of his story, attempting not to cry but unable to stop the tears from falling. When he was done, she sniffled and he opened an eye and saw her tears. "I do not deserve your tears, Weasley," he managed before closing his eyes against the pain again. She knew he spoke what he believed to be true, because of the potion, but she could not agree with him.

She was determined to finish his story before more of the potion was needed, so she rushed his telling to the others. "Father used that whip as I have come to expect, but I had not anticipated the others joining in. Cruciatus was used while he continued to whip me, and I did not know how to handle that combined pain. Separately, well, I'm used to that. I hoped I would pass out from the pain and die without knowing the end would come. The spell was lifted, and then the boots came, from my father, mostly, but he let the others join in. Someone broke my wand hand, not that I had been allowed my wand anyway. The torture continued, and I was not allowed to come to the point of blacking out. My father stopped just before then.

"Severus...I don't know where he was. I did not know he was not one of them until someone touched my head lightly and asked me to keep ahold of their cloak. Then the voice spoke louder, and I realized it was Severus. He begged the Dark Lord to let me live, as a servant, nothing more, but my father was enraged. I don't know what happened, but I heard my father cast the Killing Curse, then we were spinning, and we landed in front of the gates. And Severus wouldn't move. And then I knew he had sacrificed himself for me. And to protect my mother."

Ginny could not stop her tears, though thankfully they were silent and since her back was to the trio they weren't visible to anyone but Malfoy and Madame Pomfrey. She felt Malfoy's hand loosen in hers and she started to panic, squeezing it until he mumbled something about sleep. "Madame Pomfrey, can he sleep?" she asked, trying to keep a note of panic out of her voice. When the matron nodded and went back to her work, she squeezed his hand lightly before letting go.

She did not notice Professor McGonagall ushering Harry, Ron, and Hermione out of the Hospital Wing, off to discuss Malfoy's story with them and ushering them to bed. She also did not notice Professor Flitwick giving Malfoy a look of sadness, and perhaps a bit of pity, before he followed them out. All Ginny could focus on were a few key points from Malfoy's story.

He had only taken on the task to protect his mother.

He had been tortured before, both by whip and the Cruciatus.

And he felt he deserved to suffer.

Ginny wasn't sure what she thought of Malfoy and she knew there was more to his story. But she couldn't help but feel sorry for him, being persuaded by threats and torture to go through with this assignment, especially as she had some small insight to the mind of Tom Riddle herself. Tom, at the age of sixteen, was a horrible person, twisted and cruel. She could not imagine how much worse the man he became was now. And she could only assume that the threats and torture were worse than being put under the Imperius Curse, though they led to nearly the same outcome.

Madame Pomfrey was finally done with Malfoy's back, and she gently turned him on his back so she could finally work on his torso, now that he could no longer protest. She did not shoo Ginny away, so she stayed, wanting to help but not knowing what to do. Though she had helped in the Wing before, she hadn't ever experience this level of healing. But she knew how to take instruction, so at the matron's gesture she helped maneuver Malfoy out of his shirt, though it did not take much as the matron had had to cut the back away to work on the cuts there. When Ginny looked down and saw his torso, she gasped and felt more tears coming.

"His back was worse," Madame Pomfrey allowed and she got to work. "The scars there look to be years old, and he still had bruises from months ago if the depth was any indication." Ginny just shook her head. She could see scars criss crossing his body. Some rather new, some faded enough that she knew they were rather old. But the bruising was what drew her eye. Black and blue bruises covered green and yellow bruises, and there was hardly a spot that was his natural skin tone. She also noticed an odd angle to his collarbone, and couldn't help but ask the matron about it.

"It looks like a badly healed break," Madame Pomfrey allowed. "Some of his ribs are probably in the same state. I could re-break them and attempt to straighten them before healing them, but it will likely reawaken him," she muttered to herself, though Ginny was able to hear. "And it might not work," she continued. The work on the bruises did not take too long, though Ginny noticed the bruise paste didn't heal the green and yellow bruises. She pointed at them, unwilling to ask for fear of the answer. "Too old, dear. The magic of the paste only works within a certain amount of time of the bruises appearing," the matron said, allowing herself a tear.

With that, the matron moved back to her cabinet and looked at the bottle of Skele-Grow. She could vanish the badly healed bones and allow them to regrow, but that would likely be even worse than rebreaking them and healing them that way. She took the bottle anyway, and prepared to awaken her patient to ask his preference, but she noticed he was waking up on his own when she returned.

His moaning was enough to let her know she had not been able to take away all of the pain, even with the multiple charms at her disposal. She had not missed the tremors from the Cruciatus, but she had nothing to help with that pain. Severus had not told her if he had something or not, though she suspected he had been working on a potion for just that. She held back a sob as she glanced at the man's body on the bed next to the Headmaster's. He may have performed the curse, but Poppy knew it had to have broken his soul to do so. She only hoped he was in a happier place now.

Madame Pomfrey snapped back to her patient when she heard him murmuring to the young Miss Weasley again. She heard the word Horcrux and Potter, and Miss Weasley looked shocked. Poppy saw the girl glance at the clock and she knew she was wondering if the truth serum had worn off. She believed it had, but did Malfoy know that? She was not sure, but she would talk to the young Miss Weasley after she had finished with Mister Malfoy.

"Mister Malfoy. Draco," she said as calmly as she could, finding some reserve of compassion even at three in the morning. "Your collarbone and some ribs are very badly healed. I can fix them, but neither option will be pleasant." He managed a nod, with a wince, and she continued. "The first option would be for me to re-break the broken bones, causing you a lot of pain both during the break and as I straighten them, but then I could heal them right after. The second option is to vanish the bones, then use Skele-Grow to regrow them over the next few hours. What do you prefer?" she asked, knowing if he was anything like Severus, he needed the chance to choose. A moment later and he lifted one finger. Option one it would be, then.

"Miss Weasley, can you please move around and hold Mister Malfoy's shoulders down against the bed? He will fight you once I start to re-break the bones, but I need you to pull him back against the bed," she instructed, back in matron mode and ignoring everything else for now. Ginny's eyes were wide, but she nodded and moved to hold him against the bed. When Poppy was certain they were ready, she started with his collarbone. The boy screamed and fought against the girl, but he was weak and Ginny Weasley knew how to fight back after having six older brothers. She pulled him back, fast, and Poppy moved on to his ribs. Four in total would need to be healed, and each break hurt the boy more, but he fought less as the pain began to overtake him. Poppy quickly healed the breaks and administered a long-acting pain reducing potion before letting him fall back to sleep.

Ginny didn't seem to know what to do with herself now, and Poppy was surprised the girl was even able to stay awake at this hour. But she still had one more thing to ask, and she suspected she knew what the Malfoy boy had told her. It was not something he would have wished the girl to know, but she had to ask. "Miss Weasley," she asked of the girl as she sat in the chair next to Mister Malfoy's bed. "Did he tell you about the last Horcrux Mister Potter will have to face?"

Tears filled the girl's eyes as she nodded. Poppy flew over to her side and grabbed her into a tight hug. "Albus believed he would come through it alive, Miss Weasley. And if Albus believed it, then I believe it as well," she intoned, as the girl sobbed. When she had quieted, Poppy directed her to a bed next to Mister Malfoy, assuring her she could spend the rest of the night there until she had the energy to return to her common room. No sooner had Ginny's head touched the pillow and she was asleep.

Poppy sighed. She closed the curtains around Severus' and Albus' beds, knowing she would have to return to them in the morning, but she needed a few hours of sleep herself. She placed an alarm charm on Mister Malfoy's bed, so she would know if anything changed overnight in his status, and assured she had done all she could for the time, Poppy retired to her bed for a few hours of sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _Hello again, and so soon! At the advice of a reviewer, I'm breaking this down into chapters. I admit I was in a rush to put it up and just wanted to put it out there, but I know it's easier to read in chapter format, so here you are! Nothing new has been added or edited. I'll post any warnings needed in author's notes at the beginning of each chapter. Thanks for reading!_

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 _Ginny was running. She was not sure what she was running from, but she was running. She heard splashing, and looked down. The floor was wet. The torches were lighting as she ran past; the stone was cold. The pillars looked oddly familiar…_

" _Ginevra Weasley. Did you think I would forget you so easily?" she heard a familiar voice say, one that sent her back to running. She knew she was trapped. She had lived this before, four years previously._

 _She was in the Chamber of Secrets._

 _But that was impossible! Minutes ago she had been in the Hospital Wing. She had been fine. She had fallen asleep...much as she had her first year. Was this a dream, or was this reality?_

" _Who says it cannot be both?" she voice said, reading her mind. It had to be a dream, he had not been able to read her mind four years ago, unless she wrote in that diary. And the diary was destroyed. Harry had stabbed it! She knew it no longer worked. The Headmaster had assured her!_

" _Ah, but the Headmaster is no more, thanks to Snape. Isn't that right, Ginevra?" the voice taunted, again in her mind. She needed to get him out of her mind! How did one get an unwanted person out of their mind? She only knew of one way, but hadn't had anyone to teach her yet. How else?_

 _Instead, she ran. If this was a dream, it was eerily accurate. The basilisk's corpse was still there, slowly decomposing in the cold air, in as much a state she would expect after four years. She ran past, into one of the many tunnels. She kept running, thinking, wondering, how to get him out of her mind._

 _:"You cannot hide from me, Ginevra. You have a part of me inside of your mind, whether you like it or not!" the voice cackled, mad as ever. She still ran, thinking. She needed to wake up. She was sure this was a dream. He could not be here, she knew it. This was a dream. She had to wake up. She scratched at her head, pinched herself, and finally, just kept running. Perhaps if she collapsed from exhaustion in her dream, she would wake up._

 _So she ran. When the tunnel came to a split, she took the left side and ran further, as the voice echoed after her, haunting her already haunted dream. Still she ran, she ran until the tunnel ended and she was trapped. She had nowhere to go, as the voice grew closer. She looked for a place to hide, but it was futile. So she crouched down into a shadow, hoping to give herself time to think. How to wake up? She had to wake up! She had to…_

-x-

"Ginevra!" a voice half-whispered at her as she startled and fell off the side of the hospital bed she had gone to sleep in at the urging of Madame Pomfrey. She shot up, wand in her hand before she knew what she was doing. When all she saw was Draco Malfoy staring back at her, laying on his side and wincing while whispering at her, she dropped her wand and hid her face in her hands. She leaned against the bed, finally sitting and letting her elbows rest on her knees while she cradled her face.

"Ginevra, what…" Malfoy stopped, scared at the look she threw at him at the mention of her full name.

"Do _not_ use that name, Malfoy," she said sharply, before regretting her tone. He had woken her, after all. "He's the only one to use that name, four years ago. You don't want to be like him," she whispered as her body shook.

Why had she had a dream now, when she had not had one in so long? And how did Tom know? It was if he was really there, but it had been a dream. Had he been there? Was what he said true? Was he really inside of her mind still, after all this time?

Malfoy was looking at her oddly, she noticed, but had waited for her to look back at him before speaking again. "By him, you cannot truly mean him?" he asked, pointing at the mark on his left arm.

Ginny stared, but nodded. "Tom Riddle. Voldemort. Whatever you wish to call him. I can only ever think of him as Tom, though," she admitted. She rubbed a hand against her eyes.

"And you were having a nightmare about him," Malfoy said, frowning. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but Harry walked into the Hospital Wing at just that moment and Ginny quickly motioned to Malfoy to be quiet. He looked at her oddly but acquiesced.

Harry saw Ginny first and ignored Malfoy as he walked past. "Ginny, why didn't you come back to the common room last night?" he asked. She supposed he had drawn the short straw for visiting the Hospital Wing, or perhaps he wanted to say his goodbyes. She wasn't sure, but she certainly hadn't expected anyone first thing in the morning, or to be found leaning against a hospital bed.

"I didn't have the energy to walk all the way back after assisting Madame Pomfrey," she said, rubbing her eyes again as she yawned. "I slept poorly and think I may stay here for a while longer," she continued as she moved back to the bed. She did not want to alert him to her nightmare but knew she couldn't outright lie. Harry was already looking at her oddly, but then he turned to look at Malfoy, and looked as if Malfoy had grown a second head. He opened his mouth, closed it again, and gaped for a moment before making up his mind.

"Malfoy, why didn't those bruises go away with that bruise paste?" Harry asked, not knowing how to treat his classmate.

"Too old, Potter. They've been attempting to heal for far too long for the paste to work," Malfoy stated calmly, though eyeing Harry as if he had lost his mind. They were both in unknown territory, but Malfoy knew he was not yet in a condition to hold his own.

Harry gaped again, but a knowing look overcame him. "Belt or fist?" he asked, carefully.

Malfoy face gathered his own knowing look at that point. "Cane, actually," he said nonchalantly, as if discussing a homework assignment.

Harry looked over his enemy's body, at the number of scars that were just visible on the young man's torso, and he could not stop himself from asking, "How long, Malfoy?"

The young man in the bed gulped, but admitted, "As long as I can remember, Potter."

"Every time something went wrong, even if you could not have done it," Harry said, quietly. Malfoy nodded.

"Every time I did not perform the best, every time Father's plan did not work, every time I thought the word 'no' even as I said 'yes'," Malfoy continued, and Harry nodded. He knew. After last night, and seeing this, he knew that while Malfoy may have done some horrible things this year, he had had little choice if he wished to live. He was angry but the knowledge combined with Hermione's logic let him control himself. He nodded his head again at Malfoy, nodded it in a goodbye to Ginny, and turned around and left.

Ginny quietly absorbed the information, her suspicions from the previous night now confirmed. She felt like crying, but she figured Malfoy would not appreciate even more of her tears, especially after his comment from last night. She looked at him, but he wouldn't look her in the eye. So she resettled herself, gaze directed towards him, hoping she could sleep peacefully for a few hours, perhaps until lunch. She thought Malfoy would ignore her, now, but she heard him whisper a question and her eyes shot back open.

"Do you have nightmares about him often?" he asked, finally looking at her.

"No. This morning was my first nightmare with him present since the Headmaster left my home the summer after my first year. I had been having nightmares each night that summer until Professor Dumbledore came and reassured me that I would be coming back to Hogwarts and Tom couldn't reach me," she admitted in a rush. She had not told anyone about that summer, though of course her family knew. She could not hold Malfoy's gaze, ashamed. She could feel his gaze on her still, and she closed her eyes in hopes he would go back to sleep himself.

She was nearly asleep when she heard his voice again. "Do you not find it odd that it was this morning, then that the dream would return?" he asked, pain in his voice but unable to stop himself from asking.

Her eyes shot open. She hadn't thought about it, and she didn't want to think of it, but Malfoy was right. "Surely you cannot mean...but that would mean Tom was right...but how do I keep him out of my head?" she asked, not of Malfoy, not of anyone really, but unwilling to accept that the person who had protected her from herself had left her unprotected now. Her eyes were wide as she looked at the curtains that hid the Headmaster, and then back at Malfoy.

Malfoy struggled to prop himself up on the better of his two arms so he could look at her properly. He really looked at her, careful as he asked, "What exactly did Tom say in your nightmare?"

She looked at him, unwilling to give him any more over her, but at the same time feeling as if she owed him after his trust in her last night. "He said, 'You cannot hide from me, Ginevra. You have a part of me inside your mind,'" she admitted, shaking as she recalled it. "He had trapped me in the Chamber," she allowed as she shut her eyes and let one tear roll down her face.

Malfoy's hand flinched, though she didn't see it. He looked at her again. She was only fifteen, but he knew how strong and brave she was. His insults in previous years had never seemed to crack her, and she played Quidditch as if she were a demon. Her spells were practically legendary when she was upset. Yet it only took one nightmare to show a side that she would not show the world otherwise. One nightmare he felt he understood all too well, having himself lived with the monster controlling him. He wanted to say something, but before he could work it out, she quietly asked, "What if he's right? What if I am like Harry?"

He didn't know how to answer her at first. Could she be a human horcrux? Severus had only mentioned seven to him as he had whispered his last words to Draco while apparating away. He had been clear that Potter was to be the last, as he was the last created. "No, Weasley. The Tom you knew was a horcrux himself, a memory, and Potter killed it. It could not have transferred to you. That one is well and truly dead," he said, hoping she would believe him. He did not know about horcrux magic, but Draco trusted his mentor, as Severus had trusted Dumbledore.

"Ginny," she said, drawing his attention. "There are too many of us for you to be calling me Weasley," she gave as an excuse, shrugging.

He looked at her, really looked at her for the first time in six years, and somehow he knew he could trust this girl. "Draco, then. I prefer to not be associated with the psychopath who tried to kill me," he gave as his own excuse.

Ginny struggled to smile, but did, mouthed his name as if to try it out, before saying, "Pleasant dreams, Draco." She closed her eyes, and as she drifted off, she thought she heard in reply, "Sweetest of dreams, Ginny."

-x-

Ginny woke up a few hours later, as the sunlight shining through the window crossed her face. She looked around for a clock as she stretched, back popping. If she hurried, she could make it down to the kitchens for afternoon tea. Swinging her legs over the side of the hospital bed, she grasped for her wand and tucked it into a pocket, easily accessible, before looking over at Malfoy. 'Draco,' she corrected in her mind. 'That will take some getting used to.'

The young man was not sleeping peacefully, she could tell. Ginny wondered if Madame Pomfrey had given him any more pain potion while she had been asleep, but she didn't want to leave him to go find the matron to ask. Instead, she approached the bed and grabbed for the hand that was clenching and unclenching in his sleep. She heard a low moan and felt her hand being squeezed, hard. She was about to cast her patronus to send a message to the matron when the woman came rushing out of her office towards the bed.

"Miss Weasley?" Madame Pomfrey questioned as she cast a spell to check the state of her patient.

"When I woke I noticed he was trembling and his hands won't stay still. He just started moaning," Ginny said, somewhat sadly.

Poppy nodded at the girl, the results of her spell now apparent to her. She had seen similar results when Severus returned from meetings, and she wished now she had pestered him more on his progress on that potion. "It's the after effects of Cruciatus. He may have built up a small tolerance if he had been subjected to it often enough before, but I wager he had never experienced it this strongly for so long," she told the girl. "I have nothing I can give him, especially while he needs rest to allow those bruises to heal. His open wounds should finally knit closed by the end of tonight, but they will need time to heal as well," she continued.

Ginny nodded at the matron, but didn't understand how that would help Draco. He was in pain now; surely there was something they could do? She looked at Madame Pomfrey with a lost expression, not knowing what was best.

"Stay with him, if you think you can manage to be civil. When he finally wakes, he'll likely want water and will need help if he is still experiencing tremors," the matron said sadly, shaking her head and looking at the curtain hiding Severus' body. "If you can manage, you'll want to go to the Great Hall for the evening meal tonight, Miss Weasley," Poppy said, unwilling to admit what she knew but passing along the message as best she could, looking hard at the two curtained beds.

Ginny nodded, and then turned back towards Draco. She wondered if her hand would bruise from his grip. 'It will be worth it if it gives him some relief,' she thought. She wasn't sure why she was so willing to accept Malfoy, 'Draco!' so easily today, but she had always had a soft spot for those at the mercy of Tom after what she experienced her first year. Could she really hate the young man in front of her when he had been tortured and threatened by the same man that had done the same to her?

"If you go back to acting like a git when you're well, I'll use my best Bat-Bogey hex on you," she whispered fiercely, knowing she had to protect herself somehow. A hacking cough startled her and she saw Draco's eyes cracked open.

"Fourth in line," he managed before coughing again. Ginny tried to move her hand, but he had it gripped so tightly she couldn't move it, so she reached with her other hand and just found the glass of water, managed to grab it without tipping it over, and held it up to his mouth.

"Slowly," she cautioned as he attempted to drink. Using her non-dominant hand meant she spilled a bit of water, but he didn't seem to notice. When he was done, she put the glass back on the nightstand, closer this time so she could more easily grab it. She waited with him as the tremors continued and his hand continued to spasm. Finding the clock, she kept track of how long they lasted before calming. Ten minutes had passed since she woke and noticed his tremors, but it felt like an eternity.

Realizing his hand was otherwise occupied, Draco looked down and he managed some color in his ashen cheeks as he apologized. "Maybe first in line after all, if I manage to break your hand," he said as he let go. Ginny looked at him, eyebrow raised, until he looked back at her.

"We may not be friends, Draco," she started, and held up her hand to stop him from saying anything. "But anyone who endured Tom and got out alive on the right side can certainly earn my trust. I can't allow you to suffer alone knowing that you've endured Tom, too," she said, the last sentence coming out as only a whisper as she dropped her gaze to her hands. She massaged the hand he had gripped so tightly, flexed it, and turned it around. No harm done, at least not yet, so she reached for his hand again.

He seemed unwilling to take it, so she grabbed his hand and wrapped his fingers around hers, before she settled back into her chair, content to let the afternoon pass in relative quiet. After a few minutes had passed, Draco gently squeezed her hand. "Thank you, Ginny," he said quietly before he settled back into his bed, wincing as he shifted and worried his open wounds. Ginny opened her mouth to ask, but he shook his head. "I deserve it," he said. "The pain."

Ginny looked at him, wanting to protest, but knowing he would not listen. Hadn't she said the same thing about deserving her nightmares after all the hurt she had caused her first year? Didn't she still sometimes feel she deserved pain and hurt for what she had done? But she knew that wasn't true. The Headmaster himself had said so. And while he played his pawns as needed, Ginny knew that everything he said to her about Tom's control of her had been true.

"What was done to you, Draco, was not your fault. You did not deserve to be beaten. Not last night, not last week, not last month, not last year, not as a child. No one ever deserves to be beaten, especially by their own father. When your will is taken from you," at this point she paused, remembering what the Headmaster told her. "When your will is taken from you, no matter what you do when you are not in control of yourself for fear of your life, you are not to blame."

"It is not that simple," he said, staring at the ceiling. "I had control of my mind, Ginny. I still chose to say what I said and chose to do what I did."

"Else either you or your mother, or both of you would be killed at first chance, yes?" she countered. She knew what he said was true, but she could not help but try to defend him from himself. It may not excuse all of his behavior in their younger years, either, but she better understood the control his father had over him. Much like Harry had been treated at the Dursley's, from what she gathered.

Draco's single nod of affirmation was the only response she got. "Many wizards and witches much older and wiser than both of us have done far worse deeds when faced with death," she whispered.

"I should have taken death, then," he whispered. "But I was too much of a coward."

"Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is live, especially when protecting the life of another," she said. She took in a breath before saying her last piece. "Your attempts this past year were the worst you had done, and I suspect with every failure, your father and his...associates...got closer to your mother, closer to her death. Your will was not in those attempts, Draco. Had you really wished to do them, you would have been successful. Well, as successful as I imagine the Headmaster was willing to let you be on his time schedule. You looked more desperate and withdrawn by the day, sickly, and I imagine the torture was worse to bear each day. But each day you stayed alive was one more day your mother was safe, one more day the Headmaster was safe, one more day Professor Snape could prepare you and the Headmaster with information. I do think the Headmaster knew what you were planning each time and put you off, to keep you and your mother alive a little longer." She paused, knowing she had to ask but needing some courage herself.

"Draco," she said, softly. "Do you really think Tom would have let you live even if you had been successful?"

He stared at her. Perhaps he had been since she started speaking; she wasn't certain. But he allowed his head to shake in the negative. "No. I rather imagine either outcome was supposed to mean my death." Tears started streaming down his face, silently, but the first real cry he had allowed himself since before heading towards the Astronomy Tower the previous day.

Ginny just held his hand, not knowing if he would welcome anything more or not, but not wanting to anger him or threaten this tenuous truce.

-x-

When Ginny finally left the Hospital Wing, she was nearly risking being late for the evening meal. She had waited for Draco to wake up so she could explain that she needed to go eat supper, but he had slept up until the point Madame Pomfrey came to remind her about supper. It was probably for the best - Ginny felt she needed to talk to Luna tonight before deciding where she would be spending the night and she knew she wouldn't if she stayed in the Hospital Wing.

Ginny felt scummy and she really wanted a shower, but her stomach complained more loudly. She cast a freshening charm on herself and figured it would have to do until she could shower. Even though she was risking being late, Ginny couldn't bring herself to hurry. She wasn't sure she was ready to enter a Great Hall where the Headmaster was absent. If not for her need for food, and the earlier plea of Madame Pomfrey, she would have gone straight to her common room.

She fell into the small crowd of stragglers as she entered the hall, and made her way towards Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She nodded at them as the three noticed her but she kept quiet as she took her seat. She looked up at the empty chair, gasped as it felt like a knife had stabbed her heart all over again, and she looked down. Ginny managed to miss the food appearing, lost in her head, only looking up when a bacon sandwich appeared on her plate with a nudge to her shoulder. "Your favorite," Ron whispered, not knowing how to comfort her but knowing what foods she would eat. She nodded at him in thanks, and nibbled. Though she had just been hungry, entering the hall seemed to have vanished her appetite.

Ginny worked on her sandwich, but traded it for a bowl of chicken noodle soup when she spotted some on the other side of Harry. At least soup could keep her stomach somewhat calm, she reasoned. Even that, though, was slow going - she had only finished about half of the small cup when Professor McGonagall stood and waited for the students to fall silent.

"Headmaster Dumbledore has passed away," she stated, starting right in as if tearing off a plaster. "However, his death is not as it may at first seem, and I wish to set the record straight tonight, before the funeral tomorrow.

"Under Veritaserum, this was relayed, and therefore by Ministry command, is to be taken as truth. Professor Snape had, many years ago, taken an Unbreakable Vow to do whatever Headmaster Dumbledore asked of him, including the manner of his death. So when the curse in the Headmaster's hand had traveled so far that it meant death was imminent, the Headmaster begged his friend to complete the deed. That is what Mister Potter saw on the Tower last night, and he himself had confirmed what he saw to me," she continued, looking towards Harry at this point. Ginny realized this must have been rehearsed, as Harry seemed to be expecting this and nodded when she was finished speaking.

"Professor Snape left Hogwarts with Mister Malfoy to try to protect him. He had seen the Imperius Curse cast on Mister Malfoy, and while attempting to break the curse and protect him, Professor Snape took the Killing Curse in mid-apparition back to Hogwarts.

"Professor Snape sacrificed everything to protect his charges, Mister Potter and Mister Malfoy included, and he paid the ultimate price for his sacrifice," Minerva intoned.

"Tomorrow's funeral will be a double funeral, to honor Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape. You are not required to attend but are welcomed to do so.

"Mister Malfoy is to be left to heal. Charges will not be pressed, due to the use of the Imperius Curse and evidence of other extenuating circumstance," the professor stated, and glared as the whispers grew louder. "No one is to speak of this to the press until after the article has been run in tomorrow morning's edition of The Prophet. Your parents have already been notified. Now, if you wish to stay, you may, but curfew will be enforced today," she ended, looking over the hall with a sharp eye before seating herself.

Ginny stared at her bowl of soup, appetite completely disappeared. All she could hear were the whispers, both about the late Professor Snape and Draco, and some of them were making her sick. She had heard some similar whispers about herself upon her return to Hogwarts for her second year. She looked at the trio when Ron nudged her again, and Hermione jerked her head toward the door. Ginny nodded, and when she saw a few students start to make their way out of the hall, she quickly joined them and disappeared up the staircase to the Gryffindor common room, sorely in need of a shower.

-x-

Ginny felt much refreshed after her shower, and she resolved to pack a few changes of clothes, some OWLS study guides, and toiletries in a bag with her so she wouldn't feel so grungy again. She also pulled out her best mourning clothing, shrunk them down, and placed them in a separate pocket - she would need something to wear to the funeral tomorrow night after her OWLS and she wasn't sure where she would be sleeping tonight. When she was satisfied with her supplies, she left her dormitory and headed back down to the common room. Luna would be waiting for her at the portrait, as agreed over their messenger coins.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting by the fire, deep in conversation. When Harry noticed her carrying a bag, he waved her over. "Is that a good idea, with OWLS tomorrow?" he asked gently.

Ginny paused, but said firmly, "He has no one else right now. And I might be coming back, depending on Luna's feelings." Harry sighed, running his hand through his hair, but nodded.

"If you do go back, and he's a git…" he started.

"I already promised to give him my best Bat-Bogey hex, Harry," she finished for him. "I'll be fine."

"Ginny," Hermione said, looking her over. "Do you think…?" she trailed off, not knowing how to ask her question, but Ginny thought she knew the question that was on all of their minds.

"I think we will all have to get to know Malfoy again," she allowed. "I think the Malfoy we know is not the Malfoy he really is when he can be himself without fear of repercussion." She looked at them, and convinced they would at least consider her words, she turned and left the common room. As expected, Luna was waiting for her.

"Nargles and Wrackspurts are all over the place today," Luna greeted her with a sad smile. "Though I think the Wrackspurts are leaving you alone."

"How are you handling all of this, Luna?" Ginny asked her friend as they walked towards the Great Hall. Luna always acted odd around the others, but Ginny knew it was because she could sense their emotions and auras better than anyone. If someone was going to be overcome by a castle full of strong emotion, it was likely to be her best friend.

"Daddy's meditation techniques grounded me today. I've worked through some of the confusion to see the truths others are missing," Luna answered her, somewhat ominously though in a happy tone. Ginny still didn't know how she pulled that off, but she had stopped asking years ago. "You were in the Hospital Wing all day. Are you hurt?" she asked, briefly putting a hand on Ginny's closest forearm.

Ginny shook her head as she placed her hand on top of Luna's. "I haven't really had time to process, let alone for that," she said. "I was with Malfoy. Draco. He asked me to call him Draco. And I had a nightmare…" Ginny explained her day in as much detail she felt comfortable sharing in a hallway. Luna pulled her into 'their' classroom when they arrived, as Ginny nearly passed it by while recounting her day.

"...but his father caused me to experience Tom in the first place! And what he's done this year, and just last night. How do we trust someone after all of that?" Ginny ended, asking her friend for her wisdom. Ginny knew she still let her emotions lead her more than logic, and she trusted Luna to have the insight she struggled for.

Luna thought for a long while, humming to herself with her eyes closed. Ginny knew the young woman was feeling, and using her Ravenclaw wits to come to a conclusion. Luna had a way with reading people - she hadn't ever been wrong when she truly felt someone out. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes and smiled at her friend. "He is confused and hurting, but I think he is genuine. His story certainly was since he took Veritaserum. He is going to try to find his way now that he can be out from under Tom. You remember what it was like to finally be free of Tom...he will struggle with how he was raised and how he was conditioned to act by both his father and Tom, but I feel he is genuine. You would be safe to spend some time with him, and see if you can find it in you to trust him for yourself," the empathic girl said with a sad smile.

Luna could only feel so much, and the Dark Mark on Draco's arm interfered some, but she felt his love for his mother and his desire to protect. She hadn't ever felt that from the other Death Eaters, and she knew he had been horrified by his task. The blackness that was his horror had been obvious to her all year.

The pair of young women spent the next half-hour together, remembering, grieving as they could, and just being close before they had to return to a sleeping area before curfew.

-x-

When she arrived, Draco was propped up on his bed, eyes closed, and two potion bottles sitting on the nightstand. Ginny tried to close the door quietly, but she must have heard her because she turned back, he was looking at her.

"I didn't expect you to come back," he said as she sat down in the chair she had vacated only hours earlier.

"I didn't expect the news at supper," she countered. "Did anyone tell you?"

He nodded. "Madame Pomfrey told me the insane lie McGonagall told everyone about me," he said, sneer on his face for a moment before he relaxed. "They didn't believe her, did they?"

Ginny looked down at her hands, not knowing what to say. Did he want the truth? Could she give him the truth, not knowing how he would react? She looked up at him, his mask slowly falling in place, but his eyes begged. "Not all, no. Some are saying the same things they said about me, four years ago," she admitted, looking down again.

"It's to be expected," he said. He wouldn't have believed McGonagall if it had been said about anyone else, and he wouldn't blame anyone who came looking for him. He looked around and noticed Ginny had brought a bag with her. "You're not staying again, are you?"

She looked at him, wry smile on her face. "Why not? I was hoping Madame Pomfrey could give me some dreamless sleep," she said. "I have the last of my OWLS tomorrow and need the rest."

Ginny pulled back the covers on the bed she had slept in earlier in the day, and settled in. "What potions do you have there? How is your back?" she asked and she worked at the pillow to form to what she liked.

"Pain potion and dreamless sleep. She gave me another dose to complete the healing of my back earlier," he said, fingering the bottles as he named them. "My back won't be healed in time to go to the funeral tomorrow. I won't get to say my goodbyes to Severus. I know he is...was a cruel and bitter man, but he was my godfather and he treated me like his son. I should be there."

"We can go when you're well," she said, not knowing what else to say but meaning it all the same. She turned to look at him. "We will."

He didn't know what to say to that, so instead, picked up the bottle of Dreamless Sleep, and motioned to throw it. "Catch," he said. When he saw she was ready, he managed to toss it far enough for Ginny to reach it and catch it. "You need it more than I do," he explained. He picked up his other potion and downed it before Ginny could refuse.

She drank half of it, unwilling to risk being late to her tests, and snuggled down into the bed. "Pleasant dreams, Draco," she said as the potion took effect. Before sleep completely overcame her, she heard, "Thank you, and sweetest of dreams, Ginny."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _No warnings needed for this chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Ginny woke at about five in the morning, the beginnings of a nightmare still in her mind. She wasn't willing to go back to sleep, and didn't want to wake Draco, so she quietly repacked her bag and left to prepare for the day of tests. She didn't want to think of the evening just yet.

A shower later, and a cup of coffee in the Great Hall while she waited for breakfast, and Ginny's nerves over her exams kicked in. 'How can they even expect us to perform well?' she thought to herself. But she knew she would just have to push herself to prove she could do it. She had to prove the Headmaster was right all those years ago. That she deserved to be here.

-x-

When the tests were over, Ginny needed to escape. She couldn't go outside - she didn't want to see the preparations for tonight. She didn't want to be around her classmates, either, so she headed back to the Hospital Wing. Sleep sounded so nice after her early morning. If she took a nap, she would wake up in time for the funeral.

Ginny walked past Draco and fell onto her bed. Before Draco could say anything, she was out. Unfortunately, her dreams were not peaceful. The nightmare that had been playing at the edge of her mind that morning was waiting for her when she fell asleep.

 _Again, she was running, and Ginny instantly knew she was back in the Chamber of Secrets. She didn't hear Tom yet, but she knew she had to run all the same. She turned to the right this time, hoping she wouldn't get trapped again. Was it the right tunnel that looped around?_

" _Ginevra, you can't keep trying to hide. You'll be joining me all too soon," the voice said, finally breaking through. It was in the distance, but she thought he was following her. She ran faster, taking another right at the next branch. It had to have been the right tunnels that made a loop. They had to be…_

 _No. Up ahead she saw a grate. It was blocked! Maybe she could push it out of the way? She kept running until she ran right into the grate, but it didn't budge. Ginny looked around for a latch or something that was holding the grate in place, but she couldn't find anything. Could she make it back to the branch before he reached it?_

" _Yes, come back to me, Ginevra. You were so happy with me when you were a little girl. Don't you want to be happy again?" the voice tempted. Ginny knew she couldn't make it to the branch - that taunt all but confirmed it. She looked around but didn't see any place to hide. Instead, she turned to pound again the grate, about to scream_ when a hand fell on her shoulder and she jerked awake.

"Don't touch me!" she hissed as her eyes jerked open and she grabbed the wrist attached to the hand that touched her. But as she saw who the hand belonged to, realizing she was in the Hospital Wing, not in the Chamber, she dropped her hand and shuffled to the side of her bed, curled away from him.

"You were smothering yourself," Draco said heavily, leaning against her bed to hold himself up.

"Sit down already," she said softly, ignoring the obvious. "Madame Pomfrey will kill me in a moment when she sees you're out of bed."

She felt the bed dip, and he sighed. She turned and saw his back, almost completely healed of the open wounds, but the bruising beneath was just beginning to turn blue. "Him again, then?" he asked, not needing an answer because he already knew.

"He said I'd be with him soon," she whispered. She curled into a ball, but quickly got up and started digging through her bag to find her robes for the funeral. "You need to get back to bed," she said, and offered an arm to help him back. He was steadier on his feet than she expected, but she didn't want to risk him falling. When he was back at his bed and sitting on the edge, she returned to her robes.

She smoothed them out, but before putting them on over her clothes, she pulled out a mirror and makeup. The bags under her eyes were just starting to show, and were easy enough to hide. Her hair was a mess, and would take longer to work through if she wanted to put it up, so she opted to tie it back after brushing through it a few times to remove all the knots.

Draco watched her carefully, noting how practiced she was at hiding her sleepy face. When she put everything away and pulled on her robes, he noticed that even with the makeup, she hadn't yet masked her eyes. They screamed of fatigue, sadness, and fear.

"I'll be back when it's done," she whispered.

"I'll save you my Dreamless Sleep," he offered.

-x-

The funeral was as rough as Ginny expected. Most of the school had come, and she was thankful she could blend in. She could hide her tears, as she hid herself. Most of the wizarding world had been invited, it seemed, and Ginny was feeling overwhelmed.

She did not recall most of the service, until the end when the caskets were lowered into the ground. A piece of her died all over again, she felt, as both were lowered. She may not have liked Professor Snape, but Draco did, and she recognized just how many evils he had prevented. She owed him her grief, at the very least, over the loss of a protector and talented wizard.

When both caskets were in the ground, and covered, Ginny finally let herself cry herself dry. The crowd lessened, but Ginny stayed until her tears had faded. She saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione walking towards her, and she wiped her eyes with her hands quickly, hoping her makeup wasn't completely ruined. Hermione pulled her into a hug, and Ron and Harry patted her on the back. "We'll see you in the Hospital Wing later?" Hermione asked. Ginny nodded. "Professor McGonagall has some news for all of us," Hermione continued. "We'll see you after we get changed?" she asked again.

Ginny nodded again, and headed back towards the Hospital Wing herself. She was lost in her thoughts about the Headmaster, so lost that she barely realized she had been stopped in front of the Hospital Wing doors for a full minute. She sighed and wiped her eyes again before opening the doors and making her way towards her bed.

As she passed by Draco, she started speaking. "Professor McGonagall will be by with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in a little bit. There's news," she said. She paused to remove her nicer robes, and didn't move to pull on her school robes. It was evening, and she thought her jeans, sweater, and trainers were more than adequate.

"The main yard was full of people. Almost all of the students were there, and it seemed like all of Wizarding Britain was there too. I didn't bother to see who all had come, I just knew it was full. I was happy to hide in the crowd of students. The ceremony was beautiful, though I don't remember most of what was said about either of them. But people spoke about both the Headmaster and Professor Snape. He wasn't forgotten, Draco," she assured him.

"They spoke about the two for almost an hour, I'm sure. When the caskets were lowered, though, I couldn't watch. It feels like a piece of me is missing," she whispered. She found she was sitting next to his bed again, and she grabbed for his hand as she saw tears running down his face.

Shortly after, Professor McGonagall entered the Hospital Wing, and the trio followed after her. Draco dropped Ginny's hand, but she knew it didn't mean anything rude or malicious. Draco was busy trying to pull on a shirt, but kept wincing as it dragged across his back. It was Harry, of all people, who managed to help him position the shirt in a way where it wouldn't stick to the remaining healing cut. Ginny figured the bruises were more of a problem, but she had a sneaking suspicion Harry already knew that, too.

The professor conjured chairs for everyone, and motioned for them to sit.

"I know you would prefer to be mourning in your own ways right now," she started, finally showing some of her exhaustion and desire to be mourning. "But with the students leaving tomorrow morning, we need to decide where the five of you will be staying over the summer.

"Mister Potter, I do not believe it is safe for you to return to the Dursley's this summer," she said as she turned to Harry. "And Mister Malfoy, it is my understanding that you have no place to go." She waited for affirmation from both.

"I believe it would be best if the two of you stay at Hogwarts this summer. And I believe Miss and Mister Weasley, and Miss Granger should stay with the two of you," she continued. "We have an old, unused common room with single rooms off of it, enough for all of you, and this could serve as your planning base this summer. I do hope you will help me with your time here. We are in need of someone to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts to our NEWT level students next year, and I hope you could alter your Dumbledore's Army plans to fill a year's worth of lesson.

"I realize this is highly unusual, but we all know we are about to go to war, and our past professors have not been able to prepare as well as we would have liked. However, the members of Dumbledore's Army have been able to hold their own, and between the standard curriculum and the style of teaching of the group, I believe this would be the quickest way to prepare for what is coming," Professor McGonagall explained.

The professor noticed looks passing between the trio of Gryffindors, and wondered what plans Albus had already put into place. She knew that calculating look in Hermione's eyes, but she chose not to comment. Even a month's worth of planning would be more than enough for a professor to use to fill a year's worth of lessons, she was certain. The real sticking point would be if Draco would accept and could work with the others. They needed his knowledge, even if limited, of the Dark Arts he had experienced. With Severus gone, she had lost her main source of information from the current war.

"I'm certain I don't have a death wish," Draco drawled, almost as if he was the boy she had taught for five of his six years in school. "If they will allow me to work with them, I would prefer to stay here."

Ginny looked at him closely, and must have seen something she approved of, for she soon nodded her approval and acceptance. Hermione nodded as well, and it was left to the two male Gryffindors. Ron appeared to be fighting some argument with himself, but finally turned to Harry. Would Harry accept him?

"Truce, Malfoy? No spells or fighting except in preparation for DADA or the war?" he asked, turning to the blonde. He extended his hand, and waited. It only took Draco a moment to extend his and grasp Harry's hand in a firm shake.

Professor McGonagall sighed, and managed a small smile. "After the others have left tomorrow, we'll take supper in the Great Hall and I can show you to your new rooms for the summer. Now, I'll leave you be, but please be put before curfew," she cautioned before standing and slowly walking out of the Hospital Wing.

Before the trio could say anything after the professor had left, Draco spoke up. "I know you don't want my help, but I think I know of a few spells you'll want to make sure you have defenses against," he offered, careful to let his palms stay up and open in a cautious sign of surrender.

"I believe that is exactly what Professor McGonagall was hoping for, Malfoy," Hermione said carefully. "And I, for one, would welcome the insight." She looked at the Harry and Ron with a hard look, daring them to cross her. When she saw the two would keep quiet, at least until they left, she stood and pulled the two after her. Ginny figured they were going to have a long talking to, but Hermione did remember to wish them both a good night as she dragged the boys out the door.

Ginny turned to him after they had left and looked him over long and well. "Stuck with four Gryffindors for the summer; think you can handle it?" she cautiously teased, a small smile on her face. He was looking a bit better, but she was worried that if he wasn't well tomorrow night, Harry and Ron would re-injure him before the summer even started. Harry might be coming around, though he often came around quickly when presented with hard facts from Hermione. Well, as long as they aligned with his knowledge gathered from the map and invisibility cloak. That didn't mean he would go easy on Draco or interact with him willingly.

He smirked. "Of course I can. If nothing else, I can return to the Dungeons and pilfer potions ingredients for pranks," he said, chuckling. He had noticed her looking him over. "Just one more night of the healing potion for my back. The bruises will fade with time, as always," he said.

She nodded, and turned to her bed, unwilling to spend her last night of the term in the common room. She needed to grieve, but she needed to do it in quiet - and the Gryffindor common room would be everything but tonight. "Did you mean it about the Dreamless Sleep?" she asked as she pulled off her sweater and left herself in a light tee-shirt and her denims.

She felt a bottle being pushed into her hand and she looked down at it. "Of course," Draco said simply, returning to his bed. "You'll need it after this afternoon." Ginny nodded, got into bed and quickly drank the potion.

"Thank you, Draco," she whispered. "Pleasant dreams."

She knew she heard him properly this time when he immediately responded, "Sweetest of dreams, Ginny." And so, even after all that had happened, she fell asleep with a small smile gracing her lips.

-x-

The five did not go down to see everyone off for their summer holidays. Draco was feeling just good enough to manage a robe on top of his clothes, as long as it was a lighter one. Ginny only wanted to see Luna, but her friend had communicated on their coins she was finding the last of her possessions the nargles had hidden. _And here I thought I had convinced the others to finally leave her alone._ Instead, Ginny had opted to shower in the Hospital Wing and use a freshening charm on her clothes. She wasn't sure what Harry, Ron, and Hermione were up to but she figured they also wouldn't go down to see the train off.

Instead, they all met in the Great Hall for supper, as Professor McGonagall had asked the night before. A few of the professors were staying, notably Professors Flitwick and Vector, and Hagrid, but the hall was otherwise empty. Ginny figured Professor Trelawney was around somewhere, but she rarely came down for meals. As it was, there was very little discussion over the meal.

When Professor McGonagall rose, she motioned for the five students to follow her. Upon exiting the Great Hall, she turned left instead of right, and walked down the hall until she came to the first staircase, and she went up. At the top of the staircase, the professor turned left again, and immediately took another staircase. At the top of this one, she continued on straight past three doors before stopping before a painting.

"Good evening, Ariana," she said kindly. "The five students in front of you are the ones I mentioned to you this morning. The password will be Dumbledore's Army," Professor McGonagall directed towards the pretty young blonde in the painting.

"Yes, Headmistress. I do think he would approve," the painted woman intoned with a light, soft voice before opening to reveal the room behind.

It was a simple room, about the size of the Gryffindor common room, but decorated in purples and silvers, accented with scarlet. There was a fireplace at the far wall, already lit, and bookshelves full of books lined the opposite wall. A chess board was set up near the fire, and there were plenty of couches and chairs for everyone. "There are eight rooms off the staircases, more than enough for all of you. When you've selected a room, a House Elf will appear with your belongings," Professor McGonagall explained.

"The Room of Requirement is still five floors above us, I realize, but if you'll be doing any dangerous work it would be best to go up there for a repairable practice room. I assume you will recognize the wall when you see it. You may use the Defense classroom either on this floor or the one on the third floor in the tower if you can repair any damage caused easily. I'll be keeping my office in the tower if that makes any difference to your decision. Since I'll be asking you to report in weekly, it may or may not," she added. "We would prefer if you did not destroy this room when preparing lessons for Dumbledore's Army sessions. Curfew will not be as strict as during the school year, but it would be prudent for you to be back by midnight, I think," she added. "Meals will be served in the Great Hall for those staying over the summer. Should you need anything, any number of House Elves will be available to help, and you may visit the Headmistress office for anything urgent as the gargoyle will contact me immediately regardless of my location in the castle or on the grounds," she concluded. "Do try to not end up in the Hospital Wing your first night," she called over her shoulder as left through the painting.

Draco glanced at the four Gryffindors after that comment, feeling the need to watch his back. _Especially with all the bruises already there._ He coughed quietly before asking, "Do you want the right or the left side of the staircase?" He assumed they would want to be close.

Hermione spoke up first. "The left side, I think." She walked towards the staircase and turned left when she got to the top. She disappeared down a hall, and they could hear four doors opening. When she peeked her head back out she commented, "They are all about the same. Harry, Ron, you coming?" At that, the two boys followed her up. Ron looked back at Ginny, but she stayed back.

"Choose your room, Ron. It'll be a novelty," she teased. Ron rolled his eyes at her, glanced at Draco, but followed Harry and Hermione down the left hallway. "Right hallway for the two of us, then?" she asked as she made for the stairs. Ginny heard footsteps following her and figured Draco was coming to choose a room as well.

"Don't want to be near the Golden Trio?" he asked, small sneer, but a tone indicating his confusion. He followed Ginny down the right hallway.

"Even when we're stuck in the Burrow, they always end up together and I'm often left alone. This will be more natural and easier for them," she explained. "Can't you tell they're up to something?" she added as she peered into the first room. It was basic, but good enough for her. "I think I'll take this one," she said, and a House Elf appeared with her trunk.

Draco continued down the hall and chose the room next to hers. When his belongings arrived he took his time unpacking, both to give his muscles a chance to move and loosen after being in bed for two days, and to collect his thoughts. He would be living with four Gryffindors and while he had told Ginny he could hold his own, he wasn't sure. Everything he knew about how to act around them no longer held water. He would no longer have to endure the beatings and curses if he chose to actually be courteous. But habits were hard to break, and he wasn't looking forward to returning to the shared space and to Harry and Ron. Hermione was probably tolerable, as long as he held his tongue of anything nasty, and he knew she was truly brilliant. He would have to relearn how to act around people, and he hoped the trio would relearn how to act around him as well.

A knock on his door startled him. He looked at his watch - he had been unpacking for almost thirty minutes. He opened the door, surprised to see Ginny there. "I think we need to clear the air," she said, jerking her head towards the shared space. "Ron, especially, won't understand. He gets pranks, but he's not like Harry. He's never been...hurt...for trying to be himself," she explained. Draco sighed, but nodded and motioned for her to precede him out of his room.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting by the fire. Ginny noticed that Harry was getting his arse kicked by Ron in chess, and she giggled. Harry looked up and grinned, knowing it was useless. It was a routine they shared in the Gryffindor common room whenever he attempted to beat Ron, and it made the unfamiliar room feel more like home. Harry tipped his king in defeat before turning to face Ginny, and the blond standing behind her.

"Malfoy," he said, tentatively. "How's the back?"

"Bruised," Draco replied. "But the open wounds are closed."

Harry nodded, but didn't take an eye off the Slytherin. Ron was gaping, but Ginny could tell from the growing red color, he didn't know how to act or what to believe. Ginny looked at Ron, then back at Harry, and back at Ron, hoping someone would do something to diffuse Ron before he opened his mouth to say something damning. Harry was watching Draco, and Hermione was watching Harry, so Ginny moved to sit and broke their concentration. "Think carefully, Ron," she cautioned, unable to keep from speaking.

"But he's Malfoy!" he sputtered, unable to keep from speaking any longer. "He's got the Mark on his arm!"

"And I'm Ginny, and I've had him living in my head and controlling me," Ginny retorted, even if she wasn't entirely certain why she was defending Draco. "I suppose that means I've not been forgiven?"

Ron sputtered but recovered. "That's different. You're…"

"A Weasley?" she finished for him. "We aren't immune. Look at Percy," she said fiercely. "If a family of blood traitors can be tainted with a stubborn fool, why can't a family of Purebloods have some white sheep?" she asked, directed at Ron but for everyone to hear.

Ginny turned to Harry. "No one is perfect," she said. "And no one likes to be hurt," she added, softly. Harry nodded.

Ron, however, fumed. "So that's it? He's beat a bit and suddenly everyone is on his side?"

Harry turned to him. "We're willing to give him a chance," he countered. Ginny wondered if he had been talking to Luna also. Ron just stared at Harry, Hermione, and Ginny before he stormed off, up the stairs and presumably to his room.

Hermione sighed, but stood to follow. "I'll talk to him," she said. "Perhaps we can regroup after breakfast to start in on what we already know we can teach, from previous DA meetings," she suggested as she walked up the stairs. Harry stood, ran his hand through his hair, looked at Draco and sighed. He followed after Hermione.

When the three were all upstairs, Draco finally sat down. He stared at the fire. "He's right," he said.

Ginny shook her head. "He'll come around. If he can give me a second chance, he can give you a chance," she said.

"I'm not family," Draco countered.

"Do you really think he accepted me back that easily?" Ginny doubled-down. She stood to go up to bed, but whispered, "If Harry is willing to give you a chance, Ron will come around. It worked out for me."

-x-

The next evening, Ginny was sitting by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate as she thought about all that had happened that day.

The meeting after breakfast the next morning had not started off well. Ron was still mad, and made to duel with Draco as soon as he stepped into the third-floor Defense classroom. Draco must have been expecting this, as he threw up a shield almost immediately and held it until Ron left a few minutes later.

The session improved slightly from there, though it was mostly a review of what Dumbledore's Army had previously covered and making a list of what was needed. Most of the Dumbledore's Army curriculum would need to be repeated and practiced, often, as they were either spells that should be taught at the NEWTS level anyway or would be useful in a battle situation. Draco suggested adding creatures to the list, as the Dark Lord had be sending envoys to meet with the vampires, and everyone knew Fenrir Greyback and the dementors had sided with him.

Ron turned up at lunch, but the other four had already decided to break for the rest of the day. Draco needed to head to the Hospital Wing for some bruise paste, and the others had various things they wanted or needed to do. Hermione and Harry grabbed Ron right after lunch and hurried off; Ginny figured that whatever they were planning before was going to double in intensity now. So she had been left to herself. The day was nice enough for a flight, so Ginny had opted to fly around the Quidditch Pitch to clear her mind. She flew until supper, and would have missed it if she hadn't seen Hagrid walking up towards the castle. Replacing her broom quickly, Ginny rushed up to the castle and made it to supper just before the food appeared.

She did wonder what the trio was planning. She knew it had to be something fairly big, but would it need to stay so secret all summer? Ginny had hoped to spend some time with Hermione, especially as Luna had of course gone home, and she needed some girl time before her older brother's wedding in less than a month. While Ginny could talk to Luna through their coins, it just wasn't the same as walking over to the Rookery and talking to her in person. _But if Hermione will be will the boys all summer..._

Ginny did suppose it would be hard to find some time with the other girl, especially as they couldn't really leave the Hogwarts grounds, not even to go to Hogsmeade, without a handful of escorts. She wasn't sure if the prefect baths were open for the summer, otherwise they could perhaps borrow those for an afternoon of pampering.

She sighed. Sending a quick message to Luna on her coin, she supposed she should turn in. It was obvious the Gryffindor trio wouldn't come out of their rooms tonight. No use waiting up.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _No warnings needed for this chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 _She wasn't in the Chamber, but she was running. Where was this? Was this the same nightmare as before? She kept running, past house after house in a broken-down part of a city. Was it a suburb of London? It was too dark for her see big city lights, but maybe they were hidden._

 _She tripped, and skinned her knee, but something told her she needed to keep running. Pulling herself up and not bothering to fix her knee, she ran to a corner and turned right. She wanted to catch her breath but something pushed her to keep running._

 _Or was it pulling her?_

 _She stopped, and hid in a somewhat thin bush. Ginny needed to reorient herself. Was she running from something, or towards something?_

 _Was Tom even here? She didn't hear his voice, but she did hear footsteps. Two sets. Was someone with him?_

 _She stayed hidden, wishing she had her wand even if it was just a dream._

 _The footsteps were drawing closer, and she heard voices, but neither belonged to Tom. "He isn't there. He didn't go to his relatives this summer," one of the voices said. It sounded familiar, but she didn't dare look to see who it was._

" _He wasn't on the train. I scurried into every car," the other voice stated, and that one she knew as Pettigrew. Death Eaters. She knew she had to either stay still or wake up. Waking up would be best, but how did she wake up the first time?_

-x-

Two weeks passed, and the curriculum planning had been put on hold for planning Bill and Fleur's wedding, which was now only a week and a half away. The trio had been growing even more distracted, and Ginny rarely saw them outside of meals and the few planning sessions they had managed to hold. Planning for the wedding would certainly give her something to focus on, other than Draco Malfoy, that is.

With Harry, Ron, and Hermione spending most of their time together, either in the Room of Requirement or the Library, Ginny had been left either to herself or with Draco. Though she and Draco had formed a tentative friendship in the Hospital Wing, she didn't know how to act around him and she still wasn't certain she could fully trust him. She felt like she was walking on eggshells every time they tried to discuss something. They did not have a lot in common, other than a keen sense for chess and a love of Quidditch. And perhaps a penchant for casting spells, though the spells of choice were likely quite different in nature. Ginny loved pranks but would turn to her famed Bat-Bogey Hex when pushed too far, whereas Draco knew more defensive spells than he cared to demonstrate.

The pair had settled on taking to the Quidditch Pitch when they had entire afternoons with nothing to do, and Ginny was surprised to learn a few moves from Draco. She knew she wasn't primarily a Seeker, but she had a feeling that, if Quidditch games were allowed during the school year, she may have to fill in. Harry was becoming more withdrawn, and she had her doubts that he would even want to be on the team at this point. Luna, though her messages were short, seemed to agree with her. The two young women were convinced the trio wouldn't be returning for their NEWTS year.

Ginny did learn about Draco in bits and pieces. When she awoke the morning after that first meeting and found she really had managed to fall and badly cut her knee, she made her way to the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey had just stepped out for breakfast, but since Draco had opted to spend the night there he saw her arrive. He had been preparing to leave but when he saw her limp, opted to stay as he knew a spell to knit the cut back together.

When he beat her for the first time at chess a few days later, he actually smiled as he mentioned he hadn't enjoyed a game of chess so much since he last played against his mother.

Earlier this week as they played Quidditch, he managed to slip off his broom as a bludger grazed his back. Ginny just managed to whip out her wand and cast a cushioning charm before he landed. When she made it to the ground to check on him, he gently squeezed her shoulder in thanks and gave her a slightly anxious smile before he let his mask slip back in place to hide his emotions.

Draco Malfoy was a puzzle to her, and she was enjoying trying to figure him out. Luna was encouraging her to open up and give the young man her trust, and Ginny was starting to come around with all she had learned. Besides, so far he had been courteous and did not insult her in her nearly threadbare summer clothing, when he normally would have (and, indeed, had in past summers).

So Ginny supposed she shouldn't have been so surprised at what at happened the night before.

The dreams of Tom, or his Death Eaters, or both, had continued. After the dream of the unnamed Death Eater and Pettigrew, there had been more. In the next, Ginny remembered running from Tom as he taunted the she would lead him to Harry, since Harry had ruined his plans by not returning to his family. In another she ran from Tom as he spoke of his plans to kill her family when she least expected it. In a third, she remembered nearly being trapped by him.

Last night's dream was one of the most frightening for her since her dreams years ago.

 _I always start these dreams running. Why am I sitting down in a room?_

 _There are no doors. I'm trapped. He did trap me last time...how do I get out of this one?_

 _What if this isn't really a dream, but a premonition…_

 _I have to get out. How do I get out?_

 _Ginny was starting to hyperventilate. She did not like feeling trapped. Not only was she physically trapped, but trapped in her head, since she was dreaming. She had to get out. Had to find a crack in the wall...anything._

 _She stood and paced out the room. Perfectly square, stone, about the size of a bedroom. There had to be a door, how else had she gotten put in here?_

 _She looked up, and that's when she saw a trapdoor. Locked._

 _She was in a cellar of sorts._

 _She paced the room again, looking for anything to try to pick the lock._

 _Could she jump high enough to pound on the door?_

 _If she did, would anything good happen anyway?_

" _No, I wouldn't do that if I were you," she heard a voice whisper from behind. She whipped around, but saw no one._

" _All in good time, my dear Ginevra," the voice whispered again, this time closer, though she couldn't see or sense anyone. She didn't want to speak, but she was shaking with fear._

 _When she felt a rush of air go past her right shoulder, she opened her mouth to scream…_

And woke up in the shared common room to Draco shaking her awake. Before the scream could escape from her, he cast Silencio on her. When she looked at him, he could only see the terror in her eyes and noticed the shaking of her body wasn't from him shaking her awake, but her fear. "Why don't we go upstairs?" he asked gently as he grabbed her hand and led her towards the staircase.

When she tripped over the first stair, he steadied her and put an arm around her waist while guiding one of hers to hold on to his. When she tripped again on the next stair, Draco picked her up and carried her the rest of the way to his room. The fireplace lit as they entered, and he gently laid her on the couch in front of the fire. He had asked for the bed to be replaced with two couches and a large armchair, Ginny noticed. She was biting her lip, and when she finally looked back at Draco, he pulled out his wand and removed the silencing charm, careful to be deliberate with everything he did so she could see and follow all his movements.

When she could hear herself again, Ginny's tears started falling in earnest while her hands started scratch the sleeves covering her arms. Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair, much like Harry, before conjuring a box of tissue and handing it to her. She sat up to take it, and leaned forward so her tears wouldn't dampen her already damp shirt. She noticed she was still shaking, but she couldn't seem to stop. She hated being trapped and she couldn't shake the feeling.

"They haven't gone away then." Draco stated. She shook her head. "And you haven't told anyone else?" he asked. She shook her head again, not quite ready to reveal how easily she could talk to Luna without an owl. Draco sighed. "Why not?"

Ginny shuddered and attempted to talk through her shaking. "The..ey wouldn't under..der..stand. They would tre..eat me like, like, like Harry," she got out. She gulped, and really tried to calm herself. "I'm not...not...not crazy!" she bit out.

Draco looked at her patiently, but confused. She took a moment to breathe in, and out, trying to calm her nerves. "The dreams. Have been too real. Like Harry's dream. When he was in. Harry's mind," she slowly explained. "They will think Tom is controlling me. Again. Using me. Like Harry. Ron barely took me back after the first time. He'd do anything to stop me from working on anything for the war if he thought it was happening again. I need to help," she explained as best she could.

He looked at her with some skepticism, and she knew she'd have to explain about Ron soon. "But they are getting worse?" he asked. She nodded at that as more tears threatened to fall. She grabbed another tissue and wiped her eyes, hard enough to hurt as she was feeling she needed. "You should tell someone who can help you," he said.

She shook her head. "Dumbledore isn't here to help anymore. I don't trust anyone else just yet," she explained, still leaving Luna out of the conversation.

"What about trying dreamless sleep?" he asked.

She shook her head at that, too. "Madame Pomfrey would be bound to tell my parents as I'm not of age yet. And since I don't know when the dreams will come, I would have to take it every night. I'm sure she wouldn't approve. I could talk to her after a dream comes, as we have a sort of working relationship, but I don't want her telling Ron or my parents," Ginny explained. She sighed.

"I was trapped in a room this time. I think it was a cellar - there was a trap door on the ceiling but it was locked. And I couldn't see anyone but someone was in there with me. I couldn't get out. He trapped me in a room and in my dreams. I just couldn't. Get. Out," she try to explain before breaking down into tears again before forcing her fingernails into her palms to try to stop. She heard Draco shuffling in the chair before she felt a weight join her on the couch she was on. "I hate being trapped. It's like he owns me, all over again. Waking up and not remembering the past few hours...knowing something had trapped me and made me forget, was terrifying. He could make me forget anything, at any time he wanted. Tom caused all of that," she wailed, though quietly for fear of Harry, Ron, and Hermione hearing something. An arm pulled her close to a solid chest, and she stopped worrying about her cries as she wet the front of Draco's shirt.

He held her until she cried herself out. When she was breathing somewhat normally again, Ginny realized just how much she had cried when she saw the damp spot on an unfamiliar shirt in front of her. She ducked her head, ashamed. "Sorry. I'll let you be," she whispered and she moved away and made to stand. She stretched, popping her spine, and walked towards the door to head to her room.

"Ginny…," he called out, but stopped short. She stopped, waiting, but didn't turn around. He sighed, and she knew he wasn't sure what to say. "If you need anything," she heard him say, and she just nodded her head.

"I'll knock," she said quietly, then opened the door and returned to her room.

It had been odd, going back to her room after baring such a weakness to someone who just three weeks before had been an enemy. She had panicked after being so open and still caught in the fear from the dream, and before she thought to contact Luna a small knife was in her hand. She made quick work before coming back to herself and realizing she needed to clean up herself as it was too late to go to Madame Pomfrey. Ginny did her best to calm her mind as she cleaned her arm, but she worried over how Draco would act in the morning.

But he hadn't mentioned a thing to her about the dreams today. If she noticed he looked her over a bit more carefully in the morning, she didn't say anything about it to him, either. And when the planning for the wedding and their arrangements began in earnest, he politely excused himself to leave it to the two young women, as Harry and Ron opted for a game of chess with their only chess board.

Hermione and Ginny needed dresses for the wedding, but Professor McGonagall felt it was too unsafe for them to leave Hogwarts still. So instead requested they come to her Transfiguration classroom, where some tricky magic could be worked on two plain dresses in the proper wedding colors. After an afternoon of transfiguring the dresses into appropriate and flattering styles that were demure enough to not upstage the bride, the two young women brought the dresses back to their rooms while discussing accessories. It was the first girly afternoon Ginny had had all summer, and she had been sad to see it end when it was time to go down for supper.

Suppers had become somewhat more relaxed over the weeks, as long as Professor Trelawney kept away, and tonight had been extremely relaxed after the fun afternoon. However, the trio had disappeared as they were becoming more prone to doing, leaving Ginny with Draco. And she still wasn't sure how to act around him after the night before. So instead of sticking around in the common area for a game of chess like she might have done, she excused herself from supper to have an early evening.

Before Draco returned, Ginny wrote him an apology for her behavior the previous night and wished him pleasant dreams. Luna, though a long coin conversation, had thought it would be a good idea and Ginny knew that Luna's good ideas usually led to positive outcomes.

A while later, while she was brushing out her hair before bed, Ginny heard a knock on her door. "Ginny?" Draco called. She stayed quiet, still uncertain as to what to say to him. After a moment she heard, "Sweetest of dreams, Ginny."

And she went to bed with a smile on her lips.

-x-

The day of the wedding arrived, and the five students left Hogwarts for the first time all summer. They took the Floo to The Burrow. Ginny was surprised that Draco had accepted the offer to come, especially after learning who he would have to become using polyjuice. They had discussed it last night, and Ginny had been sure he would finally be pushed over the edge.

Professor McGonagall had called Draco and Ginny to her office after supper. Ginny figured it concerned the wedding, but she had been as surprised as Draco as to what exactly they would be discussing. "Mister Malfoy, have you decided if you'll be attended the wedding tomorrow, as we previously discussed?" she asked, starting right in. Ginny hadn't been aware he had already talked to the Headmistress about this, but he didn't seem too surprised.

"You still think there's a high chance of a disturbance?" he asked, countering her question.

She nodded. "Yes, but Bill and Fleur are determined to go through with the wedding. We'll have our best spells to protect the area, but the chatter indicates a high risk," she confirmed. "Does that change your decision?"

"No, in fact it strengthens it," he replied. "I'll be going to help in case I'm needed."

"You'll need to go disguised, of course," the Headmistress mentioned as she accepted his answer. "Miss Weasley, do you have any other obscure relatives?" she directed her question at Ginny, the lightbulb going off on why she had been summoned as well.

"Ma'am, if you mean to use polyjuice, I don't believe we have anyone we could easily get a hair from by tomorrow," she said sadly. She wasn't sure Draco would want to sport the Weasley red hair anyway. "A few of my friends won't be coming but would probably be willing to help if we kept it quiet on who would be using the polyjuice," Ginny mentioned.

The Headmistress nodded. "I already spoke to a few in case we couldn't get someone for Harry to impersonate. Mister Longbottom might be a good choice, with being a similar height and someone who would fit in well with the group in general," she mentioned. Ginny noticed Draco's look of distaste, but if Professor McGonagall noticed, she didn't say anything. Draco, however, looked like he had something to say and was fighting to hold it back. Ginny wasn't sure what was going through his mind at the moment, but she imagined he would change his mind and walk out.

Instead, he appeared to swallow some of his pride while still getting out a jab. "Longbottom? If I go as him, I won't be able to do anything without tipping off everyone Neville isn't Neville. He wouldn't know half the magic I'd be willing to use if needed," he glared.

"Your other options would likely know even less, as they weren't part of Dumbledore's Army," the Headmistress countered. "But I can list them off if you really wish." Her stern look wasn't as piercing as Dumbledore's could be, but it was enough to cause him to pause.

Draco turned to Ginny for his next question. "How many protection spells does Longbottom know?"

"The basic ones we covered in D.A., perhaps one or two more from his constant studying for the Aurory to take after his parents. His magic is quite steady. If you can stick to some basic and slightly advanced spells, you should be able to pull it off. Plus, this is all in theory, right?" she answered, raising an eyebrow as she dared him to say otherwise.

He sighed, but turned back to the Headmistress. "I can work with that. I know what they've covered in Dumbledore's Army and the only downside would be if dementors arrive. If he's my only option, I'll go as the near-squib," he said, eyes hard.

The Headmistress gave him a moment to compose himself. "We'll meet here before everyone Floos to the wedding. We'll be leaving about an hour before the ceremony, so you can take a dose here, and then keep some with you to take more doses throughout the night. If all goes well, we'll Floo back after you've taken no more than five doses at the wedding," she explained. "We'll meet here just before four in the afternoon. The ceremony is to start at five." She looked at the pair and when they showed their understanding, motioned they were welcome to leave.

While they were walking back to the shared common room for the evening, Draco couldn't help but say something more. He had been holding back so much of what he would have normally said, as he tried to figure out what he really believed, but something snapped. "Longbottom, really? He can barely hold his own in classes, and Severus terrified him. For fun, most of the time, I admit, because Longbottom is so cowardly. How does he even have the magic to keep up with Dumbledore's Army?" he went off. Coming from Draco, it was actual quite mild.

Ginny stopped and turned to look at Draco. "Listen to me carefully, Draco. In his first year, when no one else wanted to do it, Neville was the only one to stand up to my brother, Hermione, and Harry. Because he cared about his friends. By his third year, you saw him defeat a boggart. In his fourth year he survived Crouch's lessons on curses that incapacitated his parents. Parents he visits in hopes of making them proud. In his fifth year, he was the one who stood up to Harry and insisted the DA joined him when going to the Ministry. It wasn't Hermione, or me, but Neville. For the second time, he stood up to Harry. And just a few weeks ago, he and Luna were the only ones to come help the night Dumbledore died. If anyone is brave, it is Neville. If there is anyone who would come to an event for the sole purpose of helping and protecting his friends, it is Neville. As his confidence has grown, so has his magic. As his want for protecting his friends grows, so has his magic. You should be honored to take on his persona for an hour, let alone all evening. Think on that," she said harshly, then turned and walked back to her room alone. She gave Ariana the password without any of the extra conversation she might usually, and practically ran up the stairs to her room.

She did not regret a word she said, but she was certain she had undone most the work they had done to form a sort-of friendship over the past month. However, Draco needed to hear it, and if it was going to be an issue, then they would have an issue. Ginny was upset enough over it, though that she went to bed angry and her dreams reflected it.

Ginny had another dream where she was running from Tom, but in this one he mentioned the wedding. She woke up shaking again. She knew that most of the wizarding world knew about the wedding tomorrow, but she hadn't actually thought Tom would be focused on it enough that she would actually have a dream from him about it. Before she knew it, she was out of bed, out of her room, and knocking on Draco's door.

"Draco," she called. "I know you're mad at what I said. But you need to come tomorrow. He knows," she called. She wasn't even sure he was awake, or listening, but she felt a little better at least saying it out loud. She waited for a moment, before turning and going back to bed. Just before she turned her doorknob, she heard his door open.

"Ginny?" he said through a sleepy haze. "Another dream?"

She nodded, before realizing his eyes were still closed. "Go back to sleep, Draco. Just promise me you'll come tomorrow," she said.

"I will," he said. "Sweetest of dreams, Ginny."

-x-

When they woke in the morning and saw each other at breakfast, Draco was calm, Ginny was nervous, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione had a suspicious look about them. But Ginny ignored that and turned to Hermione to ask if they could spend the day preparing. Hermione looked at the two boys as she told Ginny they could have a girls' day. Something was going on, but Ginny needed the time with Hermione and chose to ignore the feeling in the pit of her stomach that today was the day the trio would launch their plans, and that something bad was going to happen.

The two young women headed down to the Prefect's bath, where they could use the various taps to take a pampering and relaxing bath before starting in on their hair and makeup, and finally, their dresses. Ginny was happy to finally have some time alone with one of her only girlfriends. They chatted about minor things, school some, before Ginny just had to ask, "So what is up between you and my brother?"

Hermione blushed for a moment and carefully considered her answer, as if negotiating. "He hasn't made a move, yet. I don't know if he's blind or just really, really shy," she admitted.

Ginny snorted. "Probably both, knowing him. When he really likes someone, he doesn't seem to remember how to act," she admitted. "Why don't you make the first move?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, it wouldn't be proper. I think I'd just embarrass him and make it worse."

Ginny nodded in understanding. "You're probably right about that. But if he hasn't said anything by the end of the school year you really need to go for it!" she exclaimed. "Besides, you know my mum won't let up on it anytime soon," she continued with a sneaky grin.

The older girl just smiled. "All the better, maybe Ron will take a hint!" The two girls laughed, and decided they had soaked long enough.

They spent the rest of the afternoon on makeup and hair, chatting about minor, unimportant things that all girls talk about. Once they were in their dresses, and charms were applied to keep everything neat and tidy, the two girls walked to the Headmistress' office to take the Floo.

As Ginny and Hermione entered the room, Ginny kept a close eye on Ron. She had paid particular attention to Hermione's makeup and hair, in hopes of goading Ron on, and it seemed to have paid off. Ron could only gape at Hermione, leaving Harry to pay his compliments to both girls on how beautiful they looked. Hermione smiled at Ron and Ginny thanked Harry, commenting that the two cleaned up quite nicely themselves.

Harry was handed his polyjuice and instructed to take it after arriving at the Burrow, and to pocket the spares. He, Ron, and Hermione went through the Floo in that order, but Ginny held back. She hadn't seen Draco yet and wondered if he wasn't going to come after all. The pit in her stomach made itself known again at that thought.

"Miss Weasley, Mister Malfoy is waiting on the other side of the door. He didn't wish to stir up any more trouble between Misters Potter and Weasley," the Headmistress explained as Draco came out of a back room of the office. He was already polyjuiced as Neville, and Ginny was momentarily confused.

"Your father came to visit," the Draco-Neville stated. "He asked that we don't let your mother know I am anyone other than Neville."

Ginny's eyes widened, but after a moment of thought, she nodded. "Probably smart. Mum has likely already lost her mind with all the planning and excited. It wouldn't do for her to actually do something to ruin the big day," she admitted. "Do I need a cover story for you?"

He shook his head in a very un-Neville-like fashion. "Your father said to pretend we are last-minute dates. Thought your mother would approve since Neville took you to the Yule Ball two years ago," he said, face oddly even and calm. Neville would have been nervous.

"Will you be able to pull off some of Neville's mannerisms? I know you can't change your voice, so we'll have to figure something out for that, but I'm worried Mum will suspect, even though she's only met Neville a handful of times," Ginny explained. "I imagine at a wedding he would be happy, but nervous, and perhaps a bit downcast at the thought of his parents."

The Headmistress interrupted at that point. "The idea is to keep Mister Malfoy hidden away as best as possible. The story is just in case he needs to explain why he's a last minute invitation. I believe that once you are through the Floo, Mister Malfoy will find his way to the back of the wedding tent and blend in with the crowd," she explained.

"And I asked to stay in your home after the ceremony, to be out of the way," Draco finished, anticipating the next question. "I imagine it will be loud enough to know if anything untoward is happening and I'm needed." Ginny laughed at that, nodding. It was certainly bound to be loud, especially if the twins had any pranks in the works.

Ginny took his hand before walking towards the Floo. "In case anyone sees us when we arrive," she explained. She picked up a handful of the powder, called "The Burrow!" and pulled him through after her.

-x-

The wedding was beautiful. Ginny made it down the aisle without tripping, and though her mother burst into tears when Bill and Fleur exchanged vows, it hadn't been a huge disruption. She even noticed tears in Hermione's eyes! Ginny found it moving, but not tear-worthy - but she was happy so many people seemed happy for her brother and new sister-in-law.

The silver stars that fell around the couple were breathtaking, and the birds of paradise that appeared from the golden balloons had taken Ginny's breath away. And just as quickly as the ceremony seemed to happen, the tent was altered into a dance floor and reception area. Bill and Fleur hardly noticed, with eyes for one another only. Ginny figured that if it hadn't been for the meal, the two would have been content to stand and stare at each other for the rest of the evening.

Ginny danced a few dances with Lee Jordan, and a few with her brothers, but soon chose to sit down at a table with Luna. Though they had spoken through their coins they had a lot to catch up on, and Ginny was happy to give her time to her best friend. She could do with Luna's bright disposition and loyalty, as the pit in her stomach hadn't gone away. In addition, Luna made Ginny laugh, and not with what others called weird comments but just because she was herself and knew Ginny's sense of humor. The two girls were just starting to discuss the upcoming school year when a patronus broke through the party with frightening speed.

" _The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."_

Luna grabbed Ginny's hand when the commotion at the announcement broke out. "Harry, Ron, and Hermione seem to be in a hurry," she mentioned off-hand. "But I think you had better go get Draco and get out of here. I'll see you at school," she whispered before letting go of Ginny's hand and turning to find her father.

Ginny didn't know how Luna knew Draco was there, but she wasn't completely surprised either. Luna always seemed to know more than she let on, and was extremely observant - part of the reason Ginny liked the girl so much. She smiled at her friend, wishing she would make it out before the Death Eaters arrived. Then she quickly turned and started running towards her home. She saw the trio apparate away, and she knew she wouldn't be seeing any of them again for quite some time. But she didn't stop to dwell on that quite yet; she needed to get to Draco and get out of there. She could hear 'Pop's! in the distance, and she kicked off her heels and left them behind so she could run faster. Before she could make it, Draco-as-Neville appeared in front of her. She asked, to be certain, "What did you say to me last night before you closed your door?"

"Sweetest of dreams, Ginny. Now, we have to get out of here. Hold on," he instructed, not even bothering to check who she was. She supposed the question she chose was enough proof of itself, and she grabbed his arm. As soon as she touched him, she felt the pull of the side-along apparition, and they were soon at the Hogwarts gates. Ginny hoped someone would be down to fetch them soon, as she wasn't certain they would be safe quite yet. Ginny sent her patronus to the Headmistress, in hopes to speed the wait.

"Luna knew you were there. And that Harry, Ron and Hermione would be leaving," she mentioned to Draco as they waited. "They won't be coming back, I assume."

"Potter and Weasley were discussing Horcruxes this morning when I entered the common room after breakfast. I don't think they knew I heard, but I assume they will be finishing their search for the ones they know of," Draco confirmed.

"Hermione must have been planning for this all along," Ginny mused. "But do they know about Harry?" she wondered aloud. She saw a light coming down the hill towards them and she moved closer to the gate so they were sure to be seen.

"The pair shut up as soon as they heard the portrait close, but I don't think they know," Draco admitted.

Ginny frowned. "Do we tell them? How do we even contact them? Hermione is far too smart to allow anyone to find them just by sending an owl or something that could be traced. And I wouldn't trust my patronus to not be followed or intercepted," she said. The light was close enough now that she could see the Headmistress and Madame Pomfrey approaching the gates.

"I say we hold off until we know he needs to know," Draco said. "I don't think Severus was supposed to tell anyone until the proper time, and obviously that time was not earlier this summer. I doubt that time is now, especially since none of us know where the others are."

She nodded, but didn't reply as the two women were practically at the gate and she didn't want to be overheard. They confirmed their identities with a few painful questions from Madame Pomfrey (and a side look from Draco upon her answer), and were let in. The Headmistress asked what they knew, but Ginny had to admit she didn't know much or even if her family was safe. Draco either didn't know anything more or was unwilling to stay it in front of the matron and Ginny.

The Headmistress sighed, feeling her age at the news. "I did receive a patronus from your father as we made our way down. They are safe, but should not be contacted. Your father suspects they have been put under surveillance. Any patronuses could potentially be overheard, so he wants to restrict everything in and out. You are now the only Weasley who could get in touch with your brother, Mister Potter, and Miss Granger," she explained. Ginny gave a tense smile at hearing her family was alive.

"Do we know if anyone was hurt? Luna was still there when I turned to find Draco," Ginny asked. Luna was her only other true girlfriend besides Hermione, and she hoped her friend was okay.

"They seemed to be after information only. I am certain she is fine, Miss Weasley," the Headmistress affirmed, but Ginny knew she'd be using her coin tonight. By now they had reached the Entrance Hall, and she directed the two students towards their shared common room. "I do hope you can continue and finish the Dumbledore's Army plans?" she asked. When Ginny nodded, the professor gave a sigh of relief. She bid them goodnight and turned towards her office, leaving the pair on their own at the foot of the stairs.

Ginny turned and started walking up the stairs, listening for Draco's footsteps following hers. When they echoed on the stairs a few moments later, she let out a sigh of relief of her own. She wondered if he was still upset with her from the previous day, and wondered if she should apologize even though she felt she had been justified in what she had said.

"Was that what your dream was about last night?" he asked, catching up with her as they walked down the hall to the next staircase.

"Not exactly, but close enough. In my dream, Tom was there himself," she explained. "It wouldn't be so frightening except for that all of my dreams of him seem so personal somehow. As if he is watching me," she admitted as they walked up the next flight of stairs. Draco stayed quiet at this, though if she was honest she wouldn't know what to say to that sort of statement either. The two remained quiet for the rest of the way to their rooms, until Ginny arrived at her door. "Pleasant dreams, Draco," she said quietly.

Just as her door was closing behind her, she thought she heard, "Sweetest of dreams, Ginny."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _Very brief self-harm mention near the beginning of the chapter. Be safe!_

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 _She was back in the room, but this time it wasn't quiet. She could hear voices above her, angry voices, and at least one she recognized as belonging to Tom. She knew she should be trying to find a way to wake up, but the voices were so loud and insistent, she turned to eavesdropping. Just in case._

" _We'll need a different approach, now that he's disappeared," Tom snarled. She thought she heard a thump on the floor and a whimper, and Ginny shuddered. She knew how Tom could be when he was like this._

" _You know who I need. There is only one other way," he continued._

" _Yes, my Lord, of course," a familiar voice stated, but she couldn't place it. If only she could see through the cracks around the trapdoor...but she might see Tom, and she didn't want him to know she knew they were there._

 _She needed to wake up before they knew she was there, wherever there was. Which was silly, they had her trapped, didn't they? But then why would they be speaking so freely…_

 _This is a dream, Ginny. She told herself. Nothing more, nothing less._

 _And with that, she paced the room again, hoping for an alternate exit, but once again, she couldn't find one. She felt the walls beginning to close in around her, and around her heart, and she knew she was finally starting to panic._

 _The voices faded away, and she was left there, alone, trapped, unable to escape, and the panic was going to eat at her until she exploded into a million pieces…_

-x-

When Ginny woke from the dream, she opted not to tell Draco about it. She was beginning to fear she was actually dreaming as Harry had. And it scared her more than she wanted to admit.

Instead, she found her knife and did some minor damage. It was too early to go to Madame Pomfrey, and too early to speak to Luna again through their coins. The few cuts on her arm didn't hurt for long, but Ginny didn't really use this form of harm for the pain any longer. She would rather use it to ground herself, and take the time to care for herself afterward. Taking her time to properly care for herself and bind her arm, she finally felt herself grounded in reality.

She moved out to the common area as quietly as she could, and opted to start her day at four in the morning. She could at least start reviewing their lists of the Dumbledore's Army curriculum, and start putting it into an order they could use for the school year.

When Draco came down three hours later, she was asleep in front of the fire, parchment in front of her and quill in hand. He didn't know when she had moved down there, but he didn't want to wake her. He noticed a bandage on her arm as her sleeve had slipped up. He frowned, but pulled her sleeve down and covered her with a blanket before heading to breakfast.

-x-

The next week and a half passed relatively quickly, considering that Ginny had been doing her best to avoid Draco except for when they were working on Dumbledore's Army lessons. She thought she would be very lonely, as the castle was still quite empty and since the trio was no longer around, but she found that it was quite nice to go flying whenever she wished, or to go down to the Kitchens to spend time with Dobby, or even to sit and do her summer homework in the quiet of the Hogwarts Library.

She was both a bit surprised and a bit hurt when Draco didn't try to talk to her. She hadn't realized that their tentative friendship might have been on its way to a real friendship, but then again, she still wasn't completely certain Draco wanted her friendship. They had only agreed to a truce, after all. She had merely assumed they were becoming friends, she supposed. Wasn't he used to spending much of his time alone?

And, wasn't she the one actively trying to avoid him?

Ginny did know that he wasn't completely ignoring her outside of when they agreed to meet in the Room of Requirement. The morning she woke up after the wedding, she had woken covered with a blanket she knew she hadn't had when she had sat down with her parchment and quill. And just a night ago, she had woken up again in their common area, covered in the same blanket. Again, she knew she hadn't fall asleep in the common area with any blankets - the fire had been warm enough for her when she had drifted off.

"I suppose it could be Professor McGonagall checking up on us to make sure we hadn't killed each other," she whispered to herself, but she didn't really believe it. None of the professors who were at Hogwarts over the summer had mentioned anything to her, and she was certain they would have if they had noticed something.

Today, however, was a day Ginny wished she didn't have to spend alone. Though she wouldn't admit it to anyone at Hogwarts, today was her birthday and she was missing the normal celebration her mother would have gone through for her. Ginny knew there were more important things happening, especially with the Ministry being run, essentially, by Tom - or Voldemort, if she preferred and wished to bring the Taboo down upon all of them. But the little girl in her wished she could have her birthday cake and a hug from her mother.

Ginny wasn't even certain her family really was safe. The Headmistress had been adamant that Ginny's own father insisted on no contact that could be traced or altered. Ginny couldn't even send a patronus, for fear of it being intercepted. She had been told it was confirmed that her family was under surveillance, but she wasn't sure she believed they were actually safe.

It was a sobering thought for her sixteenth birthday. But, since she and Draco had decided the previous day that they didn't need to meet again for a few days as they only needed to finalize plans, Ginny figured she could at least treat herself to a visit to the Kitchen for lunch. Perhaps they would have a slice of cake she could pretend was her mother's. The idea took hold and put a smile on her face, and brightened her day enough to make her put her last summer assignment aside (it was for Defence, after all, and probably wouldn't be collected if her suspicions were correct) in favor of flying out at the Quidditch Pitch.

The Pitch was empty when she arrived but she was able to enter the broom closet and retrieve a broom. She stopped for a moment and turned back to the practice set of quidditch balls and decided to release the Golden Snitch. As a practice snitch, it would be slightly slower than the game one, meaning she should be able to practice a few moves and still catch the flying ball without fear of losing it. She pocketed the snitch, careful not to press the button that would activate the wings.

Returning to the pitch, she mounted the borrowed broom and flew up into the air, doing a few laps to warm up before stopping in midair to pull the snitch out of her pocket. She touched the button on the front and with one hand as she held it in her other hand. The enchanted ball immediately flew off and she allowed it to disappear to somewhere within the bounds of the stadium. She could practice a few drills before she started hunting the snitch in earnest.

It was difficult to practice the moves she and her fellow chasers would use during drills, as she had no one to practice weaving around or zig zagging between, but she could practice rolls, sudden turns, dives, and climbs. Ginny drilled herself until her head was spinning, and she was certain she wouldn't immediately find the practice snitch. She came to a stop in front of the announcer's box and turned her keen eye to snitch spotting. Keeping in mind it would likely be constantly moving and could be behind her at any given time, Ginny continuously did slow circles around the pitch, both low and high, and every time she switched directions she practiced one of her rolls or dives.

It wasn't too long before she spotted the snitch - it was slower than the game snitch - and she went after it. Her hand was nearly on it when she had to pull up or crash into the ground, and the snitch escaped. As she climbed, she heard a soft clap.

"On a faster broom, that would have been game over," Draco called up to her.

"It's a practice snitch," she retorted, knowing it wouldn't have cut it in a real game.

"Even so, it was a good chase," he offered. She noticed he had a broom in hand, but wasn't mounting or even trying to spot the snitch.

Ginny called down to him, "Are you coming up or not?" The only response she received was his quick ascent to her level. "Good. It'd be nice to have some company," she said quietly. She avoided having to look at him by looking around for the snitch, hoping to spot it and make it a contest. She knew his broom was faster than hers, but she would pull out all her tricks to make it as much of a contest as possible.

The two students circled the pitch, and each other. Every so often, Ginny would make as if chasing after something, only stop and change direction just as quickly. She figured it wouldn't fool Draco, who was a talented Seeker and knew better, but she was itching to fly like the chaser she really was. The sudden chases and fast reversals were what she knew and got her adrenaline rushing. It also kept her mind busy, so she couldn't dwell on her family, or her friends.

When she came out of one of her barrel rolls nearly upside down, she saw a flash of gold. Righting herself, Ginny's eyes narrowed in on the gleam and off she went. She could see Draco out of the corner of her eye, and she knew she wouldn't make it in time, but she zagged out in front of him to try to cut him off before dropping down to follow the path of the snitch. She wasn't practiced enough to be able to attempt to anticipate where it may go, so she chose to follow it as fast as she could. She attempted to coax her broom to go even faster, but she found she was nearly pushing the limits of the Comet, and Draco was edging ahead of her. She was unwilling to push him as it wasn't a game, so instead she rolled off to the side and allowed him to grab the snitch a moment later.

"Great catch," she called once she landed.

"Faster broom," he responded. "You nearly had it."

She shrugged. "Summer pickup games aren't a time to hurt yourself or your partner," she called back as he flew down to the ground. Her stomach was trying to let her know it was time for lunch, so she called out, "Ready to head back?" At his nod, she walked back to the broom closet to return the borrowed broom, then stuck her head out, about to yell across the pitch when she saw Draco right in front of her. "Oh. Umm, you have the snitch deactivated?" she asked, palm out to put it away. He dropped it in her hand and she turned to put it away. When she was certain Madame Hooch wouldn't have her hide for having anything out of place, she exited the closet and started to head up towards the castle.

Draco walked beside her, but they were quiet. Still, she was glad for the company, and didn't find the silence completely awkward. She was lost in thought when an owl dropped down in front of her, carrying a letter and a small package. Ginny stopped to take them from the owl, but having no treats, petted the owl before asking it to return to its owner. She noticed the handwriting on the front of the letter as Luna's, and she sighed. She hadn't heard from Luna yet today and she had been worried, but it seemed her friend was safe after all.

"I don't suppose you know any spells to check mail for anything untoward?" she asked Draco, knowing that as much as she wanted to open the letter, and more fun, the small box, she needed to be careful. They were in the middle of a growing war and Luna's home was just over the hill from where Ginny's family was under surveillance.

"Just the basics, nothing specific for mail," he replied, before casting a 'Finite Incantantum!' over the two pieces of mail. When nothing seemed to happen, he tried a 'Specialis Revelio!' but again, they saw no change over the pieces of mail. She shrugged, and hoping it wasn't a trick, opened the letter first.

She immediately knew it was at least written by Luna, due to the bright colors she had used in a familiar rainbow format. Ginny doubted many others would know that's how she typically received mail from Luna. It was a short letter to wish her a happy birthday, and in true Luna fashion, warned her to keep watch for any creatures trying to fuzz her mind. Ginny smiled; the girl always knew what to say to put her in good spirits. She decided to pocket the box to open later, and continued towards the castle. "It's from Luna," she explained to Draco as they neared the doors. She turned to head towards the Kitchens for lunch, and, not sure why, mentioned that Draco was more than welcome to join her if he wished.

"Otherwise sit with the professors by myself? No thank you," he scowled as he joined her.

She giggled. "Oh, my. Professor Trelawney is at it again, hmm?" she teased. A few days ago, the Divination professor had finally emerged from her tower and had attempted to predict doom and death for everyone in the room. It hadn't gone over well as they were in a war, but Ginny had managed to find some of her predictions of how they would die quite...interesting. "Afraid her next predictions will involve you tripping over a dog?" Trelawney had insisted Ginny was going to cross Mrs. Norris the wrong way and meet doom.

Draco's scowl deepened and Ginny let out a full laugh. She let him be for the rest of the journey to the Kitchens, and when she tickled the pear, she went in first to smooth the way. The House Elves typically liked her - especially because she had helped to pick up Hermione's hats the year she had been adamant about S.P.E.W. So when Ginny requested a plate of sandwiches, pumpkin juice, and a slice of chocolate cake for afters, they rushed to fulfil her request and she soon had more food than the both of them could have eaten. Ginny was certain she had enough food to feed a small army, but she sat at the table off to the side of the kitchen and pulled a few sandwiches onto her plate in thanks.

After two sandwich halves, Ginny reached for the box in her pocket while pulling a slice of chocolate cake towards her. Draco opted for another sandwich and eyed the box carefully. She plowed into opening it, though, and Ginny recognized it as a muggle jewelry-style box. She had seen these boxes in some muggle magazines Hermione sometimes left out when she was at the Burrow. Ginny paused, wondering what Luna had made - for she knew it would be something specialized. When she opened it, Ginny found a bracelet much like Luna's, with a pendant hanging off of it in the shape of a horse - Ginny's patronus. It was a touching gift, and Ginny realized it was even more special when she read the note beneath the bracelet.

"The Protean Charm on this pendant will ensure that we can always be in reach. Happy Birthday. Love, Luna," she read aloud. Ginny turned the pendant over and saw one word on the back of the pendant - _friends_. Ginny smiled, and took her wand to change the message to a similarly short, but poignant word for the two, one Luna would recognize as coming from Ginny. While they had the coins, Ginny figured the pendant could hold more text and was something she was less likely to lose. She then fumbled to put the bracelet on, but managed. She looked up, and only then noticed Draco staring at the note she had just read out loud.

"I didn't realize today was your birthday," he admitted.

"You weren't meant to," Ginny said. "But it has already been a much better day than I woke up thinking it would be." She left her comments at that, letting him think on it in whatever manner he felt best. Ginny dug into her piece of cake. It wasn't like her mum's, but it was delicious. After a few bites, she pushed her plate back and stood to leave, making sure to thank the House Elves before she left. "See you later, Draco," she called. She decided to go to the Library, where she could sit next to one of the windows, take in the sunlight, and learn more about the new pendant. She wanted to push the limits of the length of messages they could send one another before she really had a strong need for it.

-x-

 _She was in a cemetery this time, already crouched down behind a tombstone. It was a new place - none of the previous dreams had been close to a cemetery as far as she knew, though the room she had been in a few times could have been nearby._

 _Ginny didn't think she should run. She didn't know if she could make it between the tombstones unseen, and she had gotten used to waking up in her dreams before something horrible happened. She didn't hear anything just yet, so she peeked around the stone. There were no lights, not footsteps, and no voices._

 _She knew she couldn't be alone. It almost seemed like a trick...or as if she were early._

 _She was about to move to the next big tombstone when she heard rustling, low to the ground, coming from her left. She turned, crouched, but didn't see anything. As in all of her dreams, she didn't have a wand. She hoped whomever it was wouldn't see her. It sounded like it was going right past her, but it was a long sound, almost like the basilisk had against the stone floors at Hogwarts._

 _Nagini._

 _Which meant Tom had to be close by. Ginny hoped the snake hadn't sensed her, otherwise she was about to have the worst birthday night to date._

 _The snake moved up another few rows, from what Ginny could hear, and disappeared. Tom had to be close but she still didn't hear anything. She had to move closer and hope she wasn't seen or heard. She looked around again, and seeing no one, quickly ran to the next tombstone ahead of her. She stopped, held her breath to see if she heard anything, and tried not to panic. She was closer to where the snake had gone, but it wasn't close enough. One more look around, and she moved diagonally up one more row, and over._

 _She could hear murmuring now. If she focused enough and kept the panic at bay, she could just make out a few words. Something about needing the right girl. She wasn't sure for what, but they were definitely discussing Tom needing the right girl, and being old enough for consent._

 _Ginny thought she heard the rustling again, but she couldn't see the snake. Kind of ridiculous, she thought, as the snake was supposedly huge. It was coming closer. Closer…_

Ginny woke up in the common area. The fire was lit, and when she could focus enough to find the clock, she noticed it was just before midnight. She must have fallen asleep just after returning from supper. She was still shaking, slightly, but the fear of the snake wasn't as great as it had been in the dream. There were no snakes at Hogwarts, except the rotting corpse of the basilisk. It couldn't come after her. She hugged herself as she worked to completely calm herself and she let her fingernails scratch her arms in a semblance of pain. It was in this position that Draco walked into the common area and saw her.

He came and sat in a chair off to her left, within her sight but far enough away to give her some space. He stayed quiet, waiting for her to be calm, waiting for her to speak, letting her choose. "It was a cemetery this time," she finally said. "He had his snake there. I think it was coming for me at the end

"Tom is looking for a girl. I don't know what for," she mentioned, then stood to move closer to the fire. She ran her hands over her upper arms, as if to warm herself. "I'm afraid he may be looking for me. I would be the 'old enough' to make my own decisions, as I heard them say."

"You're not yet legal in the wizarding world," Draco cautioned. "Unless you've used a time turner, I suppose," he attempted to tease.

"I've not once had my wand in these dreams. The age of consent, and therefore to some people the age of adulthood, is 16 in the United Kingdom. We may be in the wizarding world, but we're still part of the UK," she countered. She shuddered. "I could be wrong, but there has to be a reason I keep having these dreams. And Tom always treated me oddly," she admitted. "As if he loved to hurt me but hated to hurt me at the same time. Until the end, of course. And I don't believe he has any emotion but hate now."

Draco didn't know what to do, or what to say. He hadn't known how to respond last year whenever the Dark Lord was involved, and though he was trained in occlumency, he couldn't teach it. He hadn't always been strong enough to keep the Dark Lord out, he was certain. He could partition his life well enough, but he was certain he couldn't teach it to her - or be guaranteed it would help. It hadn't helped Potter, but then again, Draco didn't think Potter had actually tried. The only two people Draco would have trusted to teach anyone occlumency were dead. Still, even reading the basics couldn't hurt, could it?

"Occlumency could be an option," he ventured. "I know it, but don't think I can teach it. There are certain books in the Library that could teach the basic practices," he suggested. He didn't know what else to say. He was staring at her hands and they continued to scratch her arms.

Ginny nodded, though sadly. She recalled Harry's lessons and while she knew Snape had been working to rile him up and never actually explained anything to him, she also knew Tom's influence on his mind was tricky and often hit in his most emotional spots, making it hard to ignore.

"Do you need to see Madame Pomfrey? It's not midnight, she might still be up," Draco offered, not really sure how to ask what he had wanted to ask for a while. He noticed Ginny stopped her hands at that, and she slowly shook her head.

"No, I think I'll send Luna a message and try to sleep," she said. She didn't want to say she wouldn't hurt herself, as that would only open up a new can of worms. She thought she could sleep now that they had an option for her to try, even if she had no teacher. Ginny stood, stretched, and squeezed Draco's shoulder in thanks as she walked past. "Pleasant dreams, Draco," she said, as had become their ritual.

"Sweetest of dreams, Ginny."

-x-

A week before classes were due to start, Ginny and Draco found themselves in the Headmistress' office just after breakfast. They were there to present their plan for the Dumbledore's Army curriculum - and hopefully learn how it was to be used for the following year.

The plan was quite simple, and flexible, and would likely be based on how quickly the NEWT level students could learn each spell. Ginny had argued that it would be vital that everyone could perform certain specific spells before moving on, while there would be others that would not require that full mastery. She had fought that spells such as a Shield Charm and Stunning Spell were ones everyone should master before moving on - and, she pointed out, as many of the NEWT students would already know these, would be a good basis for review to start the year.

Other spells for the year would include casting a Patronus in conjunction with learning about Dementors, the Disarming Charm, the Reductor Curse, and basic jinxes and hexes such as the Impediment Jinx. Knowing Tom's penchant for winning over different species, they had also decided to include basic lessons on protection against a vampire and acromantula.

The most difficult lesson of the year, one that would be practiced in almost every meeting, would be learning to cast spells non-verbally. It was a skill that NEWT level students were slated to learn anyway, and would be a vital skill in any duel or war situation.

The Headmistress appeared pleased with the planning, and agreed that certain spells should be practiced until all students had some level of proficiency with them. When they had agreed upon which spells those should be, she let the pair know her plans for the class. "I'm afraid we will not have many students returning this year," she began. "And therefore we will be combining our sixth and seventh year students from all Houses into the same time slot whenever possible. The younger years, through OWLS level, will also be combined into one lesson for all Houses." She paused here, noticing the confused faces on the two students sitting in front of her.

"You may not have heard but with You-Know-Who controlling the Ministry, Muggleborns have been banned from attending Hogwarts. I've had to owl each Muggleborn family asking them to not return to the school, and when possible, go into hiding. We've a few safe homes from the First War, but many students have been encouraged to move or leave the country. With that, we'll be down approximately half of our student population," the Headmistress explained.

"We've lost our Defense and Muggle Studies professors, and the remaining professors have agreed to pick up extra classes to compensate. The only way we can do that is to combine classes whenever possible. We've also cancelled Quidditch for the year, partially due to most House teams losing key players, and partially to allow Madam Hooch time to take up some of these extra classes. We've only been allowed to do this instead of having Death Eaters placed in the school on my promise to send attendance lists to the Ministry after the Sorting Feast, and allow the Ministry to 'interview' any Muggleborn who arrives at the school," she continued. She raised an eyebrow at the pair at that last statement, hoping they understood what she meant. It was not a good place for her to be in, but the other professors had agreed to relent if it meant keeping Death Eaters out of the castle for as long as possible. They weren't naive enough to believe it would keep them out for long, but they were working on a defense for that.

"For the sixth and seventh year Defense class, we plan on only teaching this Dumbledore's Army curriculum. These plans prove that the focus is on battle defense and higher-level skills such as non-verbal casting. It might not be enough to pass the NEWTS with an O, but it will keep you alive and mostly aligns with the normal suggested course," she paused, coming to perhaps the most unusual part of the entire discussion. As if promoting a student-designed curriculum wasn't odd enough!

"The other professors and I have decided to forego a regular professor for this NEWT level Defense class only, and instead would like it to be student-run. We would prefer four students - one from each House if possible - to team up to lead the class. Professor Flitwick, Madam Hooch, or I would audit one class a week for the last half of the class in order to track progress and give any help as needed. We do not plan on having exams, but suggest regular duels instead. Would this be acceptable?" the Headmistress asked before sitting back and waiting for their answers.

Ginny wasn't caught completely off guard, but she hadn't actually ever taught a session of Dumbledore's Army and wasn't sure she had the sway over the students that Hermione and Harry had. Then again, if there were so few students returning that they could combine the two years and fit them into the classrooms, she figured she had a pretty good idea of who would be returning and most would have been in the group with her previously. Still, she had her doubts.

"And if the students won't accept student leadership?" she asked.

"They can drop the course and not pursue it as a NEWT class," the Headmistress replied. "Though I do believe most will realize how important a practical defense class is in these times and won't give much issue. Their only other option would be self-study."

Ginny nodded, and looked at Draco. She had an idea of what would be going through his mind but wasn't going to speak for him. She wouldn't have to, though. "Do you really think anyone would accept me as a leader, after last year? They'd be mad. I'm liable to be killed the first day," he complained.

The Headmistress looked grim, but had an answer prepared for it. "If it will make you feel better, Mister Malfoy, I will hold the first class of the year to introduce my wishes and plans for the year. Your knowledge of Dark spells and He Who Must Not Be Named is invaluable and needed for others to understand how to fight him. They will not be swayed easily, you are correct, but if they do not wish to have the best information then they can choose to drop the class. Whoever is selected from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw can also help their Housemates."

"Luna Lovegood for a Ravenclaw and Ernie Macmillan for a Hufflepuff would do nicely," Ginny suggested quickly.

"I will request the two of them to join me in my office the morning of the first day of classes. I will present the idea to them then and if they are agreeable, we can present the united House front that afternoon in the first Defence class," the Headmistress stated, summing up the conversation nicely. If Draco wasn't convinced, he at least knew to keep his thoughts to himself until out of the Headmistress' hearing. He knew that he and Ginny were being dismissed, and he quickly turned at left, leaving Ginny to run after him.

"Draco!" she called, though she knew he was ignoring her. "Draco, wait up! Just hear me out," she called after the tall blond before he could completely disappear into the myriad of hallways in the castle. She was running after him as quick as she could, and nearly ran into him when she failed to notice he had stopped. His back was turned to her, but she thought it was a good sign he had at least paused. "Maybe we could go to the Kitchens to have a cup of tea?" she suggested, pulling on his wrist lightly in the direction she intended to go. He gave in, to her surprise, and she let go and hoped he would continue to follow.

Though Ginny and Draco were okay working together now, she was still uncertain as to where they stood on the friends scale and how friendly she should be. Ginny was used to playing rough with her brothers, and laughing and being openly friendly with Luna and Hermione, but she had little in between to work with. Draco was definitely in this in between area, and Ginny felt she was well in over her head. There were still many secrets between them, holding them further apart than most of her friends.

He did follow her to the Kitchens, and when she asked for a pot of tea and two cups, he went to sit at the table they had shared on her birthday. When the tea was ready, she poured and handed a cup to him. Noticing he took his tea with milk and no sugar, she filed that away as potentially useful information for the future. One never knew when tea would have to be served - they were British, after all.

She took a sip of her own tea (milk and one sugar), before starting in on what she had to say. "I suggested Luna and Ernie to Professor McGonagall for a reason, you know," she started off. "Luna was an obvious choice to me for multiple reasons. She fought both at the Ministry of Magic and at the Astronomy Tower, and came out no worse for the wear. She's a strong person with strong magic, and though students make fun of her, when the members of Dumbledore's Army see her strength they won't go against her. She trusts Harry, and is a loyal friend on top of it. Once you have Luna on your side, you have an ally and friend for life. You already have that, Draco. She knew you were at the wedding and thought nothing of it. She felt your burdens last year in a way I can't explain, but she understands. She feels you deserve another chance, one away from the influence of Tom that has always been in your life. She will stand with you, support you, and protect you."

Ginny paused, sipping at her tea before it cooled completely. Draco was silent, looking down at his teacup. She pushed to continue. "Ernie, as a Hufflepuff, can be extremely loyal as well. He will take some convincing, but when he hears you were helping Harry and Harry actually stood up for you to my brother and gave you a chance, we'll have a good start. Ernie is loyal to his fellow Hufflepuffs first, but he is also extremely loyal to Harry and those Harry approves of, thanks to Harry's help with Cedric during your fourth year. He fought at the Astronomy Tower, and he knows that you were hesitant and wanted to take on Dumbledore's offer. That will also play in your favor. I did not hear him speaking poorly of you after Professor McGonagall's announcement at the end of the last term. I do believe that his loyalty to Harry will allow him to at least give you a chance," she finished. It was all she could really offer to the blond sitting across from her, but she hoped her knowing the two students better than he would give her words some weight.

She sat and finished her tea. Draco was still silent, and Ginny wasn't sure what to make of that. When he was done with his tea, he stood and walked past her without saying anything. She figured it wouldn't do her any good to follow. He would have to think it through for himself and go where he wanted from there. Bothering him now would be like her bothering Ron when he was in a funk over a girl or when he and Harry were fighting over something stupid. The more you pressed buttons, the worse the blow up would be when, not if, it came - and the more difficult to mend the relationship. Ginny and Draco were already walking on eggshells, if they had any sort of friendship at all.

Well, she could certainly ignore him for the rest of the day, or at least until supper. She sent a short message to Luna to prepare her for McGonagall's request, before running back to her room to grab a book. She hadn't been down to the lake all summer, and she knew it wouldn't be warm much longer. She didn't feel up to swimming, but she wanted to take in some sun - no matter if it meant more freckles forming on her arms and legs! _The curse of being a redhead_. Luckily, she had come across a great spell to protect her skin without having to resort to carrying a parasol.

It was late afternoon when the book Ginny had nearly finished was suddenly shadowed and she was forced to look up to see what was blocking her light. She had been reading for hours and hadn't expected anything to interrupt her, but Draco was putting a plate of sandwiches down on the ground next to her and helped himself to one as he took a seat on the spongy green grass.

"You missed lunch," he said between bites of his sandwich half. Ginny snorted, but tried to cover it. Apparently all boys were the same - food was the only way they knew how to apologize or clear the air. She took the peace offering, though, since she recognized it for what it was. She returned to her book. She was only a few chapters from finishing, and since it was one of the few books she had picked up for fun all summer, she really wanted to finish it.

About thirty minutes and another sandwich half later, Ginny put down her book, mulling over the ending as she gazed over the lake. The heroine had discovered a secret at the end of the novel that changed her entire world view, and it resonated with Ginny. Being a book she had read multiple times, Ginny wasn't surprised by the ending but it always sent her into a pensive period after finishing the book. She sometimes wished life could work out as nicely as most books did. She shook her head, clearing out the thought. That's when she realized Draco was still sitting there, staring out over the lake himself.

"We've got a few days left. Normally I'd be pushing my way through Diagon Alley and packing, and fitting in some last-minute pickup quidditch games. I suppose one out of three would keep it somewhat even, if you'd like to get some flying in," Ginny offered quietly, wanting to say something but not sure if an interruption would really be welcome.

"Tomorrow after lunch, then?" he answered, turning to look in her direction but not quite managing to look at her. She nodded and smiled, and he must have seen at least the nod because he nodded as well.

"I think we could fit in some chess matches yet, too," she said.

"And perhaps some practice drills in the Room of Requirement, in preparation," he responded. Ginny supposed that was as close of an affirmative that he would help lead Dumbledore's Army with her as any response she would get, and she couldn't stop a wide grin from spreading across her face.

"Of course," she said. "We wouldn't want to appear underprepared when everyone returns. Though I suppose we will be missing quite a few students. If Professor McGonagall will be combining your year with my year for all classes, well, that's probably maybe eighty students total for both years. Not everyone will want to take Defence," she admitted, head working through the student roster for a rough number.

"Most of Slytherin in our years likely won't return, and if they do they won't take the class," Draco added.

Ginny frowned at that as well. "One or two of the Slytherins in my year seemed okay. Some of the younger students seemed okay as well. Do you really think so many will stop their education?"

"More than likely they will be home schooled or go to Durmstrang for this year if there's room," he answered. "I would be there myself, and would have been for all of my schooling, if not for my mother," Draco admitted to her. "Many traditional Slytherin families consider sending their children to Durmstrang. If we have any first years at all, at least from the traditional families, it will be an anomaly. And with Severus gone...there will be no one to try to steer the younger ones away from their families. It might be best if none of the older students return. No one will be around to carry on the traditions, as I certainly have no desire to do it."

Ginny sighed. She didn't want to know what the Slytherin students did in their hierarchy. Gryffindor had a hierarchy, and while pranks were common, it was mostly harmless and the older students were always around to help the homesick first years adjust, like a lioness protects her cubs. She didn't imagine it would have been the same in the dungeons. "Let's not think on that now. We won't know what will happen until it happens, and there's no use worrying over it when we could be flying or playing chess," she said.

"Besides, we'll be late for supper if we don't head back soon!"

-x-

" _What do you mean you haven't heard anything at all?" Tom's voice growled out. At first Ginny thought he was speaking to her, but as she looked around, she noticed she was hidden away behind a bookcase. There were a few men assembled in a larger room, something that she wouldn't exactly call a library, but a large drawing room perhaps. She shifted, hoping to see more between the few missing books that were her only view ports._

" _He can't just disappear! He's out there, planning something, and you fools can't even track him!" Tom managed to make out in anger._

" _Perhaps one of the students will know," a man, groveling on the ground, said. Someone in the back of the room, out of Ginny's sight, snorted, and Tom turned to look in that direction._

" _Have a better idea, then? Would you like to be out in the field?" he asked. Ginny recognized the tone of voice for what it was, but couldn't feel sorry for the person who had chosen to entrench themselves with this monster._

 _When no reply came, Tom snarled, "No, I thought not. Disappointing." She heard moans coming from that part of the room and she knew the spell Tom had cast. It was one she might have to suggest to Draco to add to their list to learn to fend off, if only in theory._

" _And I suppose none of you have even tried to find her, yet, have you?" he whispered, glancing at each face. Again, the room was silent, and Ginny swore the temperature dropped even colder than it had already been. If it got any colder, her chattering teeth would give her away. "Fools. Those who fail to serve will be punished," he threatened._

Ginny woke to screams echoing in her mind and a hand on her forearm. She recognized the hand and relaxed.

"Couldn't even leave you alone on the last night of the summer?" Draco attempted to tease. She hadn't had a dream all week, so she supposed she should have expected it, but the timing was of course, horrible.

"If Professor McGonagall ever determines how we can practice the Imperius Curse, we may want to explore the Cruciatus as well," Ginny said in reply. "I know you've been through it, but I just witnessed it and I'm not sure discussing theory and practicing blocks will be enough."

Draco blanched. "Just what sort of event did you experience tonight?"

"He's searching. No names, but I assume by 'he,' Tom meant Harry. He hasn't heard a thing about where Harry has disappeared off to. And he's still looking for 'her' as well," she said. "When his group of followers had no information for him, he turned the spell loose on the room."

"You know we can't practice that spell," Draco warned.

"We can't be completely unprepared, either. We need to at least learn the basics of protecting the mind from pain," she argued. "I don't want any of us to end up like Neville's parents. And with no protection whatsoever, we're risking exactly that. These grown men, who I assume had experienced that curse before, were screaming like they were dying. If we can do anything to protect ourselves even the slightest bit…." she stopped, knowing she was being illogical but worried. To protect oneself from a spell designed solely for pain, you had to have an extremely strong will and pain tolerance.

Draco sighed. "I have been exposed to it for year, years, Ginny, and have no idea how to explain how to try to protect myself from it. Dodging to avoid the curse altogether is the best defense and one we will practice, often. But if you're caught, all I was able to do after multiple experiences was throw my mind into a sanctuary and hope to Merlin it wouldn't last long," he explained. "Occlumency helped last year, but as I already explained to you, I can't teach it."

She nodded. "From what I was able to find, you would be good at occlumency, but people like me would not be. You have to be able to push your emotions off to the side, or into a box, or behind a wall. I have done this in some ways, can hide them away when needed, but I struggle. I'm usually too honest. Too much of a Weasley," she teased momentarily. "But if we approach it from developing a strong will and strong mind, we may yet have some luck," she concluded. A yawn escaped her lips at that, and she noticed it was just after midnight.

"You let me fall asleep out here again," she accused. "I'll have to be more diligent this term. It wouldn't do to let my guard down around the pranksters in the common room."

He shrugged. "Last night before the others return. You may as well enjoy it as much as he would let you," Draco replied. "Besides, I welcome the company. I won't have much, if any, starting tomorrow."

"Give them some time, and I do think you'll find you have more allies than you think. You need to give them a chance just as they'll have to give you one," Ginny said. "Besides, you can duel me at least two afternoons a week and treat me to tea afterwards," she grinned, reminding him of a training session earlier in the week where she had ended up flat on her back. She had shooed Draco away, but hadn't sat up for a full minute. When she did, it was only because she heard him summon a House Elf to bring them tea. At least Draco knew when to apologize, even if he only ever did so with sandwiches or tea.

She stood, stretched, her back popping sending her into a light blush, before she wished Draco, "Pleasant dreams, Draco. I'll meet you in the morning for breakfast."

"Sweetest of dreams, Ginny."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _No warnings needed this go around. Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

The first few days back to classes had been nothing less than interesting for the pair. As Draco had predicted, he was the only NEWT level Slytherin student left even from the neutral families, and many of the younger students hadn't returned either. The sorting had only yielded two Slytherin first years: a pair of twin boys of an unknown family. Draco couldn't be certain but he thought there were no Slytherins older than fourteen in the school, other than himself and any professors who had been Slytherins while at Hogwarts - Slughorn being the only one who immediately came to mind.

As such, Draco was either being completely ignored or taunted endlessly, depending on the student. He had taken it all as it came, and waited to return to the Room of Requirement to use some dueling dummies to work out any frustration and anger. He had, luckily, already started blending into the shadows last year, so most of the other NEWT level students were prepared to ignore him.

It hadn't been so easy on Tuesday morning just after breakfast when the Headmistress explained how the Defence Against the Dark Arts class would work that year, though. Only twenty students, including Ginny and Draco, had returned for all of the sixth and seventh years. Of those twenty, sixteen had elected to take Defence after receiving their OWLS. Most were previous members of Dumbledore's Army, but it was Draco that had thrown them off the most, as expected. Luna had easily accepted to be the Ravenclaw representative and leader, but Ernie had been a bit harder to win over that morning in the Headmistress' office. Ginny had finally begged Ernie to trust Luna's judgement, if he couldn't trust hers. Ernie had blushed and not met any eyes when Luna, of all people, flat out said he was going against Harry and was a discredit to his House to do so, but had agreed to be the Hufflepuff representative at hearing it.

The remaining students had been much like Ernie. Most of the Gryffindors had stood to leave when the four had been announced, and only stopped when the Headmistress said they would not be welcome back if they left and would have to study for the NEWT without any help from Hogwarts professors if they chose not to participate.

And though everyone had showed up for the first class, it was not off to a good start. It was the Gryffindors who had the most issue with Draco, as was expected. It appeared as if Luna and Ernie had discussed it more calmly with their Houses. Draco wasn't even certain Ginny had gotten a word in edgewise with her House mates, though. It was only when he saw her raise her wand in their face that he reached over and pulled her arm down.

"But they are acting like bloody wankers!" she shouted at him.

"Then they can leave. They all heard the Headmistress," Luna said from Ginny's other side, as she stared above everyone's heads. "Though she may perhaps give them another chance if a blibbering humdinger is clouding their thought process."

"If you don't trust Harry, then you can go," Ginny finally said in a cold tone, turning her back on her Housemates. They had already explained that Harry and worked with Draco to develop the lesson plans, but to no avail. She waited to hear the door slam behind her, but after about a minute she instead felt a tentative hand on her shoulder.

"I'm with you, Ginny," she heard Neville say. "If Harry can work with Malfoy, then so can I."

She turned, and saw the other Gryffindors looking at them, but none had actually left. Ginny knew, more than anything else, they knew they needed to be ready for the war. They would complain, and perhaps ignore her, but they would learn.

When everyone was finally seated again, Ernie moved to take over. "Okay. Today we're going to start with a basic review of the Expelliarmus Charm. We know that everyone learned this back as second years, but as everyone should know, this is Harry's signature spell and it's one that can save your life. Besides, we figured it would be nice to start off easy this year," he explained.

"Everyone knows the incantation, so let's pair off and get in some practice. Don't make it easy on your partner, either!" he said.

The students paired off, a few notable sets crossing House boundaries, but most sticking to House loyalty for this first lesson. Ginny took the opportunity to spar with Draco. She disarmed him first, but she felt he was holding back. "Again," she called. He came after her with more force that time, and only lost her wand when she tried to roll out of the way of one spell to be hit by a rapid fire second. When she stood and he tossed her wand back, she called out once more, "Again."

Ernie was letting the pairs leave, pushing some out the door as they turned to stare at Ginny and Draco. Their third duel was full of dodging and rolls, finally ending in a draw when they cast at the same time and both lost their wands. "You scared the nargles away," Luna said, smiling. "Maybe the rest of the class, too."

Ginny looked a bit miffed, but seemed calmer now. "Sorry," she apologized to the other three. "They haven't let me speak since McGonagall's announcement this morning. I went off like Ron." She cringed. Ernie and Luna just smiled at her, and picked up their bags to head down to the Great Hall to get some studying in before supper. When they were gone, she turned to Draco. "It could have gone worse," she said. She knew it would go worse for her before it got better, though Neville would stand with her knowing he could trust her judgement. "No one attacked you, at least," she explained. "They'll ignore me until they need something from me, and then I'll be welcomed back into the family. Typical Gryffindor dynamics. At least Ron isn't here to rile them up more."

She picked up her bag, and noticed her shoulder was a bit tender. She rolled it, but it felt more like a quidditch practice bruise than anything else. "No quidditch this year. Do you think we could use the pitch for some practicing for some of these sessions? Maybe mix in some defensive flying?" she asked, already missing the practices that always allowed her to refocus on something else.

"As long as the first years don't have their flying lessons as the same time. Or maybe extra time on Saturdays," Draco said, comfortable when talking about the class. He needed some time out on the pitch, too, but wasn't going to admit that. "I'll see if I can find out when the first years have their lessons so we can plan around it."

They left the classroom together, discussing a homework assignment for another class as they walked towards the Great Hall after everyone else, both calm for maybe the first time all day.

Unfortunately for Ginny, her evening wasn't to be at all calm.

-x-

 _It was the first dream in weeks where she had entered it running. She knew better than to stop, she just wished she knew what she was running from and where she was. And how long she had been running - her lungs were burning and she felt a stitch in her side._

 _She ducked to avoid a tree branch, and realized she was running through a forest. She wasn't sure what forest, but she knew, instinctively, she needed to keep running. Something was following her and if she didn't get to a safe place, she would never be safe again._

 _She kept running, but tripped when her foot fell into a rodent hole. She got up and kept pushing, her lungs feeling as if they would burst, but she had to keep going. She had heard footsteps follow her as she got up. She wasn't alone, and she had an idea of what, at least, was following her even if she wasn't sure of whom._

 _She pulled back a branch and let it snap back, hopefully slowing someone down. She was running out of steam, but a curse sent her way made her adrenaline rush, giving her an extra burst of speed. Unfortunately, a branch caught her on the shoulder and she tripped over a half-hidden log. She was down, and couldn't get up, but her mind was racing ahead and she tried to hide under the log. If she had missed it, maybe whichever Death Eater was after her would miss her hiding there._

 _When she thought the person following her had gone past, she waited for a moment before trying to be as quiet as possible and run back in the opposite direction after removing herself from under the tree. She ran as fast as she could but she knew she was in trouble - a spell had just shot past her and she had barely been able to dodge it. If she didn't wake up soon, she was going to die, she was sure of it. She kept running, more like staggering after another tree branch went for her left leg, but she had to keep moving…_

Ginny woke with a start, feeling as if she was falling, but she caught the scream on her lips before she let it out and woke up any of her dorm mates. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she needed to get out of that room and somewhere she felt safe. Hermione wasn't just upstairs for her to go see, and Harry and Ron weren't just up the other staircase. She couldn't borrow Harry's cloak to go roam the halls, but she needed to do something.

Before she knew it, Ginny was in a robe and shoes that wouldn't make noise on the stone floors, and she was exiting the portrait. She had her wand at hand, and made off down the hall, not thinking of where she was going, just needing to walk somewhere that wasn't forest and wasn't going to attack her. She walked the halls, snuck past a few portraits that were awake having a late night philosophy discussion, and wound up in front of the Room of Requirement. She only noticed when a door appeared in the wall, startling her out of her thoughts of the dream.

She was almost afraid to open the door, not knowing what the room thought she required just then, but she didn't have to make that decision. The door opened on its own and a blond head poked out. When it saw the long red hair, it whispered, "Ginny?" She was moving towards the door before Draco could finish saying her name, and he quickly let her in.

"What are you doing out this late? It's one in the morning," he mumbled around a yawn. "You could have gotten caught."

"Needed to be somewhere other than my bed and somewhere safe," she whispered. "Someone was chasing me. Almost caught me. In a forest. Not sure they knew it was me or not, I never saw who it was but I know it was one of his." She paused, looking around as if really noticing where the Room had sent her and noticing it was a lounge, similar to Draco's room from over the summer. She chose a bare couch. "Please tell me you have some tea," she practically begged.

When a cup was pushed into her hands a few minutes later and she breathed in the steam, she finally sighed and let a tear escape. "I couldn't breathe. I barely dodged the last spell sent my way, and I'm sore from where the trees snagged me in my dream. It was so very real," she let out before sipping the tea. A good, strong peppermint, something that was familiar and calming.

"Maybe this was just a typical nightmare, from doing too much homework and researching for Defence?" Draco asked, unsure of what to say. He didn't have much experience in comforting people, and certainly no one other than his mother.

"Perhaps," she allowed. The pit in her stomach said otherwise, but she hoped he was right, if only so she could sleep the rest of the night. She let herself fall into her thoughts as she drank her tea, but was soon dozing off again. Ginny barely felt the hand that guided hers to put down her teacup, or the one that helped her lay down on the couch. She was asleep before the blanket covered her and the wish of sweetest dreams was uttered.

-x-

When she woke up for the second time that morning, Ginny saw a pair of clothes sitting on the floor, covered by the Daily Prophet and a note that simply said, 'I'm sorry.'

She picked up the Prophet, and the headline was about Harry, Ron, and Hermione having infiltrated the Ministry, but escaping into a forest before the Dark Lord could catch the fugitives. Her dream had been real, then, one of his. She still wasn't sure if it was she they were chasing or the trio, but it didn't matter. Somehow, her dreams were getting closer to whatever Tom was upset about at the time, if it was related to her.

Ginny tossed the paper in the fire, not even bothering to look at the rest. She wished she could talk to her parents, but until they were out of the Burrow or Tom was dead, she couldn't send them anything sensitive, maybe anything at all. The time she needed her family the most, she couldn't contact any of them. It was only the second real day of classes, and she already felt so alone.

-x-

After that dream, Ginny was even more determined to find a way to practice quick reflexes, which is why she was waiting as patiently as she could for the first years' Saturday morning flying lesson to end. She was itching to get on a broom herself, and she had a proposal to make to Madam Hooch, as soon as the class was over. She noticed she wasn't the only older student hanging around the pitch, though it appeared she was the only one without a younger sibling taking the class. Ginny had to admit that she had been lucky that her flying lessons had been during the week, so none of her brothers could come out and watch her.

When Madam Hooch starting collecting the brooms and sending them to the Broom Shed, Ginny walked over, calling out, "Professor!" as she waved in her direction to get her attention. Ginny smiled at a few of the students as she hurried past, but was intent on convincing Madame Hooch of her idea.

"Madame Hooch," she said again when she was face to face with the older woman. "I have a proposal for an informal replacement for quidditch, one that would be open to anyone cleared to fly on a broom," she started in. When the Flying instructor motioned for her to continue, Ginny launched in on her idea. She was proposing a Saturday afternoon meeting, weekly during good weather, bi-weekly or monthly during the winter months, for any student wanting to improve their flying skills. Ginny emphasized it would be open to a student of any level, but they would focus on defensive flying - very similar to what was first taught to quidditch players so as to learn how to dodge a bludger. No bludgers would be used to start, and never with students who weren't comfortable with it, but Ginny hoped to work up to the point of releasing the bludgers and practicing defending against them. Here is where Ginny truly got to her point. "The bludgers are going to be the easiest way for us to mimic spells coming out of nowhere while in the air," she stated, gaze starting to harden. "After what happened on the train, escape on a broom might be one's only option. And even if the skill is never used, the quick reflexes required will surely improve spell casting and overall performance in other reflex based classes," she added.

Madame Hooch seemed amenable, as she said she would give Ginny priority on the pitch on Saturday afternoons between 1 and 3pm. "But you must warn me before you start using bludgers, even for those who are quidditch players. I insist on someone being present when that begins," the professor said. Ginny quickly agree to that and a few other terms while she helped tackle a few errant brooms and move them to the broom shed. She thanked the older woman for accepting her proposal, stating she would spread the word this week and start meeting next Saturday.

She headed back up towards the castle, even though the weather was nice and she wished to stay outside in the sun for a while. Her tired eyes could use the cheery sunlight. But, she needed to find Luna, Ernie, and Draco to tell them the news about the Quidditch Pitch. Ginny had done this sort of on a whim after she mentioned it to Draco on Tuesday, but she would be willing to lead this herself if necessary. She planned on it being very similar to quidditch drills, at least to start.

Luckily, Ginny saw Luna and Ernie leaving the Great Hall together. It looked like they were headed towards the library. "Wait up, you two!" she called out. "I've got some news! I asked Madame Hooch if we could reserve the pitch on Saturday afternoons to practice some flying drills, open to any student of any level, and she said yes! I figure it would be a supplement to our class, but let everyone get outside on flying again too," she explained and the three walked towards the library.

"I have been wanting to get on a broom again," Ernie admitted. "What did you have in mind?"

"Drills, mostly. Easy drills. Some of the stuff I learned when I rode my first broom and watched my brothers play pickup games in the summer. For those with more experience, harder drills, lots of dodging, changing courses, maybe working on how to knock someone off their broom. Eventually, I'd like us to drill against bludgers," she explained.

"And Hooch agreed to all of that?" Draco asked, momentarily startling her.

"Don't do that!" she exclaimed. "And yes, she did, with the stipulation that I must let her know when we plan to start using bludgers so there will be supervision. We'll have first dibs on the pitch on Saturdays from one to three in the afternoon," she finished, grinning.

"Sounds like a pleasant way to spend the afternoon," Luna said airily.

The two young men nodded. "We can see how many show up next week and make a plan from there," Ernie said. "I'd love to help with this." The others nodded, though Ginny couldn't recall seeing Luna on a broom since their first year flying class.

Luna must have felt Ginny's worries, because she smiled at her friend. "I can work with any younger students we have. I need more basic practice than you quidditch players," she said, strength in her voice, tinged with happiness.

Ginny nearly beamed. "Perfect. Well, then, Ernie and Luna, sorry for interrupting. Have a pleasant afternoon!" she said as she turned to walk back to the Great Hall for a late lunch. "And sorry for not trying to find you to tell you all at the same time," she apologized to Draco. "I wasn't sure where to find you."

The blond shrugged. "If I'm not in the Great Hall or the Library, I've taken up permanent residence in the Room of Requirement. It's too quiet in the dungeons, and the younger Slytherins, while not outright supporting the Dark Lord, have too much trust in their parents and his beliefs. They are too naive," he explained.

"Like many of your house mates, I imagine," Ginny replied. "Like many of mine."

"Yes, though we thought he was long gone. They know he isn't. Yet they refuse to see or listen," Draco said, hand to his head.

"Some need to see to believe," she whispered. "I just hope it doesn't actually come to that for them to understand what is right."

-x-

The news about the recreational Saturday flying spread quickly and by one in the afternoon the following Saturday about sixty students had made their way to the quidditch pitch. Ginny and Draco recognized all of the quidditch players, as well as those that had attended tryouts throughout the years. There were quite a few youngers students, and even two first years.

The students quickly broke off into groups based on skill. Some of the older students volunteered to help with the less skilled groups, making the groups more even and pretty much handling themselves. To everyone's surprise, there were very few arguments between Houses, and everyone appeared to have a good time.

By the end of the two hours, Ginny reminded everyone that these sessions were open to anyone, and at any time - if they felt they couldn't come one week, they would always be free to return to the next one. The groups broke up and headed back, though a few opted to go down to the lake to enjoy the sunniest part of the afternoon. Ginny headed back to the common room to work on some homework, waving off to the other three leaders of the Defence class. She wanted to think through the afternoon on her own, and she'd have plenty of time while working on her homework assignments.

Ginny worked through supper, and would have fallen asleep in her chair by the fire if a second year hadn't come up to her to thank her for the fun flying lesson earlier that day. Ginny smiled at the student and told her she hoped she would be back next week, as they both walked up the staircase to their respective dorm rooms.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _Lots of warnings on this chapter, dears. We start off right away with some self-harm and discussion continues through this chapter. It's not extremely descriptive, but I want you to make sure you're in a safe spot to be reading it all the same. Remember – your health safety is more important!_

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

It was the first Friday night of October, at the end of supper, when Ginny was running through the halls with a dampening spell on her shoes and a silencing charm on herself as she sobbed. She needed to get to a little used lavatory to be alone tonight. She didn't want to be seen by the others in the common room after the news from earlier in the day.

Two students had been called to the Headmistress' Office just before supper. The seventh year Ravenclaw had turned against the fifth year Gryffindor when they were faced with the news that their mother had been sent to Azkaban for being a Muggleborn that stole magic, at least according to the Muggleborn Commission. The seventh year stood with the Ministry, while the fellow Gryffindor (and DA member) had stood firm and said it was ridiculous. She had almost been pulled off school grounds by the Ministry official at that statement. It was only the Headmistress' quick thinking that prevented it.

The reminder of an older sibling turning against a younger hurt her deep. Ginny didn't talk about Ron often, and though she loved him, her relationship with him was strained at times. She had spoken to Luna about it at large in their second and even third years, but she otherwise kept silent. But seeing a family torn apart in such a way hit her hard, and deep.

When she reached the lavatory, she quickly pushed up her sleeves and took her knife to her arms. She needed this tonight, even though she knew she shouldn't. She needed to feel something other than shame, to feel as if she were unwanted, to feel as if she was polluted and dark. The first cut steadied her world again. The second showed her that her blood was still untainted by evil, and that she still lived. A third, and her deepest of the night, centered her and allowed her tears to have a reason.

The more the blood beaded up from the cuts on her forearms, the more she calmed. She knew better than this now, even though he had given in a few times over the past half year, but tonight this was what she felt she needed most. She needed a reason to take care of herself without feeling too guilty about it. She still felt terrible, really, and horribly guilty that another family was being torn apart, in part for a student's want to participate in a rebellion. She knew it wasn't her fault the Gryffindor girl has spoken up for her beliefs (and the truth), but Ginny knew many DA members did so easily because of their discussions and rebellious nature of the group and she felt partially responsible. But she had punished herself for it, and now she could take care of herself.

When the bleeding appeared to be slowing, Ginny took some tissue to start applying pressure over the cuts. As the blood was sopped up, she applied more until they were white on the top layer. She held them in place, and sighed. Self-care was so difficult to do this year as it was a lot harder to slip away and hide, even with this. Her guilt was starting to build, but it was too late for that. So she settled next to a sink and waited for a bit longer until she felt she could get herself good and clean before wrapping her arm. It wouldn't take long. Almost not long enough to really calm herself with the ritual.

She started to clean up in the sink, wiping away all the drying blood and cleaning the cuts out with soap, when the door opened. Ginny's head turned sharply and she made to hide her arm, though she knew it would be too noticeable to actually be a helpful movement. Draco closed the door softly, and sighed. "Luna thought you might be in here. She said she'd be up as soon as she could comfort her Ravenclaws, but that you had some wrackspurts that needed clearing," he explained as he moved closer to the sink.

Ginny sighed herself. Luna. Of course. Her friend always seemed to know when she was hurting, but often left her alone until she was ready to discuss it. Ginny knew Luna had sensed she had taken up the practice again, but hadn't pushed. She wondered if Draco had asked Luna about it, though. He had enough information to piece it together from the summer. "Just cleaning up," she said softly, trying to hide her arm but knowing it would be futile as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Cleaning up?" he said in a questioning tone, but not asking outright.

Ginny chose not to explain how she got the cuts, though her knife sitting on the sink ledge was a dead giveaway. "I just need to finish washing and then I can wrap my arm," she explained, also not volunteering any information. She wrapped her arm in a clean bandage before securing it with a piece of plaster. She felt the young man's hand move down and touch the bandage lightly, not enough to hurt but she definitely felt a bit of pressure.

"Can you tell me how this happened, Ginny?" he asked softly. She breathed in sharply, knowing that she couldn't deny it any longer and that she owed him this secret. She was about to speak when the door opened again and the pair looked up. Luckily, it was just Luna.

"Mm, the wrackspurts are still hanging around. I sense we're not in for a positive night," the blonde said and she approached the pair and noticed Ginny's bandaged arm. "Have you told him yet?" she asked, looking into Ginny's eyes.

"Just about to, luv," she said. Ginny pulled them both to the closest wall and they sat down. Luna wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulders in a half-hug for support, while Draco was keeping a hand on her bandaged arm. One Muffilato charm later, she was ready to begin. "Let me tell you a little bit about what happened when I awoke after nearly dying in the Chamber of Secrets over four years ago.

"When I woke up in the Hospital Wing, I was disoriented, confused, and I was missing huge chunks of my memory. Understandably so, though I didn't understand it at the time, my parents were upset, angry, and frustrated. My father asked me why I hadn't known better, and I thought he was blaming me for everything that had happened. My mother didn't protest, and I thought she, too, was blaming everything on me. I wouldn't admit that to either of them, but I felt it was my fault and was certain I wouldn't be allowed back to Hogwarts after nearly killing so many people.

"I hadn't yet been told that it was Tom who had been controlling me, only that it had been the diary. I made the connection on my own, of course, as some of my memories starting coming back, but by then I was convinced it was my own fault as my parents had seemed to imply it. Again, I know now that they were just frustrated and probably afraid for me, but my twelve year old mind didn't understand that. And so over the summer, as my brothers tiptoed around me and I felt even more isolated than I had the entire school year, I became very lonely and depressed. We couldn't afford a Mind Healer, and Dumbledore could only afford to stop by and talk to me once a week, maybe a bit less frequently even.

"I thought I needed to be punished for hurting so many people, and especially for the blame being placed on completely innocent people. So I started cutting. I don't really remember what made me think to try it or how I even learned about it. Perhaps it was an accident. But how I started doesn't really matter as much as the fact that I had. It brought me a bit of relief from more than just the guilt I felt - it helped me feel something other than depressed, as well.

"In addition to all of that, I did mention my brothers tiptoeing around me. Fred and George, my dear twin brothers, just wanted me to be okay, to be the smiling sister who taught herself to fly on their brooms. They tried to make me smile, and they succeeded more often than not, but they were more cautious than usual and that hurt too. I thought they were afraid of me; I know now they were afraid for me as they saw me withdraw into myself.

"Ron, though, did a complete turn on me. I have always been closer to my older brothers than to Ron, but I thought he would be there for me as he was closest to my age and had tried to rescue me. But instead, as soon as he found out that Tom Riddle had actually possessed me, he seemed to want to disown me. He wouldn't look at me, he wouldn't play with me, and he wouldn't speak to me. He didn't even want to sit next to me at the dinner table for meals. It hurt me a lot, more than I think anyone realized.

"He didn't even want to accept me back to school, honestly, when we went to the train station for his third year. Dumbledore had continued to come nearly every week to speak with me, as well as to determine if I had retained enough from my first year to not need tutoring for my second year. He had assured me I would be allowed back. He repeatedly told me that it was not my fault, that what had happened to me was not my decision, and whenever your will was taken from you, you were not to blame or to feel guilty for the actions done. Dumbledore advocated for me completely, but that hadn't been good enough for Ron.

"All through this, every time Ron so obviously hated me, I cut. I didn't know what else to do at the time, and I didn't believe Dumbledore yet either, and the guilt was eating me up. I almost feigned sickness to miss the train on September first that year, but Mum caught on. Ron didn't want to be seen with me, and I avoided him on the train and in the common room as much as possible, knowing he would just try to poison people against me. I kept to myself, studying instead with Luna, in the Library. It wasn't until Harry got wind of how Ron had been treating me that anything started to change.

"Harry started to say hello to me in the common room, or say something at meals in the Great Hall. Ron never went against anything Harry did, and it took him quite some time to come to terms with everything. But eventually Harry's acceptance of me and insistence that I was not going to be the next Dark Lord just because I had been possessed was what Ron needed, apparently.

"As I started to be accepted more in general, thanks to Harry's small gestures, I found I didn't need to cut as often. Oh, I still did and do when things get really rough or I was really stressed, but I slowed up. I had a really bad incident once and Luna took me to Madame Pomfrey, where I got quite a counseling session. That's when I started helping out around the Hospital Wing, and why I have a friendship with the matron. I have been trying to find other coping mechanisms, but tonight just took me back to that summer after my second year. When I heard about that older brother turning on the younger sister," Ginny gasped, choking up a bit as she was lost in her memories again. She felt Luna hugging her close, and Draco put a comforting hand on her back as the tears fell.

"It's okay. It reminded you, and you didn't know what else to do so you turned to what was familiar to you back in those memories," Draco offered up in explanation for her. She just nodded, grateful he didn't seem to be condemning her or demanding she go to Madame Pomfrey immediately. This had been something else her family wouldn't ever understand, and she had been grateful when Madame Pomfrey hadn't immediately owled her parents.

"I don't do this often anymore, regardless of what you've seen in the past few months," she offered. "It's just been hard, with the dreams and everything." And with that out of the way, the group of three just sat as they thought through everything. Ginny hoped Draco understood better now why she kept telling him Ron might come around with enough support from Harry. And she wondered what the Gryffindor Trio was up to right now. She really did love her brother, and she worried about him.

When she started to shiver, Draco moved to pull her and Luna up off the cold stone floor. "Do you need to see Madame Pomfrey to get those cleaned up?" he asked, careful not to seem forceful. Luna beamed at him for that.

"No, I'll be okay. They aren't deep, so I can keep them clean enough on my own," Ginny answered. Luna hugged her close, and whispered something in her ear to make her giggle. "Luna said the two of you will have to work to keep the wrackspurts from me, but I think you'll be up to the task," Ginny explained as she forced a smile at Draco. She and Luna walked to the door, and checked the hall. Seeing it was clear, they motioned Draco to follow them out quickly, before anyone would catch them. Draco headed to the right with a goodnight, while the two young women turned left to continue on to their towers.

Luna stuck to her like a sticking charm, chatting about easier subjects. Ginny knew her friend was trying to raise her spirits and keep her brain focused on happier thoughts to avoid nightmares. She was really lucky to have a best friend as amazing as Luna.

-x-

The next few weeks progressed somewhat normally. The Ministry seemed insistent on questioning the half-blood students on their heritage, so many nights found the library full of students tracing ancestry lines. No one wanted to be carted off Hogwarts grounds. There were many instances of teary-eyed students leaving the Headmistress' Office.

Both Luna and Draco seemed to keep a closer eye on Ginny on the evenings they heard of such difficult meetings, but she found she didn't mind. With smaller classes and combining the sixth and seventh years into the same time slot, Ginny had been spending a lot of time with Draco between planning for the Defence class, the recreational Defence Flying, and just working on homework assignments. Luna often joined them when the pair met either in the Great Hall or the Library, and Ginny felt that Draco was finally warming up to the odd blond. She had been worried when she first invited Luna to join them, but it had gone well enough and now the three spent most of their time together.

The flying class had continued, growing and waning each week depending on weather and homework loads. Ginny was happy with the progress, and she was glad to have a few hours a week to just let go and not worry. They were switching up the drills each week by allowing leaders from the different Houses and different years decide what to focus on. Ginny was sore after last week when Ernie lead - the Hufflepuffs apparently trained harder than Ginny had realized!

Ernie was still cautious around Draco, but he was coming around. He had asked Draco to pair up with him in Potions, and they were starting to get along fairly well. Most others were still very wary of Draco, and Ginny wasn't sure the Slytherins even bothered with him at all. Her Gryffindor house mates were still mostly ignoring her, except when they had to listen or pay attention. Neville had been the only upper year who acted as if everything was normal, for which Ginny was relieved. It was awkward enough in the common room with her losing sleep and trying to keep silent when she dreamt. Losing the support of most of her classmates was an extra toll she really didn't need.

Her dreams were coming more frequently, about once a week. Some she was able to sleep through as an observer; others, she woke up with a scream on her lips and needing a friend. Ginny had started speaking to Luna in the morning about the dreams in which she was an observer. Her friend was very astute and coached Ginny on how to observe even better to learn as much as she could from her dreams, and determine what they meant. But Ginny didn't want to expose Luna to her frightening dreams. For those, she chose to go to Draco. Sometimes she would wait until morning, especially if she woke up late enough in the night to stay awake. Otherwise, she found herself pacing in front of the Room of Requirement, hoping she wouldn't get caught and hoping the Room would open to the correct room. It hadn't let her down yet, though she had only visited twice.

Today, though, she was visiting Draco for a different reason. The truth had finally come out about Draco's life as the son of a Death Eater.

Today, Ginny had seen Draco cry.

It was Friday, and they had had the Defence class that afternoon as was normal. There was to be a Halloween Feast in the evening, so the four student leaders had decided to have a discussion style class that would allow them to end early and have some free time to prepare for the feast. Since the Imperius Curse was a review lesson and one that was due to be part of the sixth year curriculum in a standard year, they had decided to cover that topic.

They had opted to set the rarely used desks in a circle so they could hold a discussion. Luna opened with the basics of the spell, the effects, and how to try to break free. From there, they had discussed what the fake Professor Moody had demonstrated back in their third and fourth years, and if the spell were legal. Someone mentioned that the Dark Lord had made the Unforgivables Legal now that he controlled the Ministry, which led a Hufflepuff to ask if anyone would use the spell if they were given the choice.

That's when a Gryffindor called out that Draco must have used it to convince the Headmistress of the lie she told at the end of the year, and the anger grew from there. Luna tried to get back on topic in her airy, odd way, and Ernie tried to step in to defend the young man he was slowly learning to trust. Ginny was surprised when even Neville stood up for him, pointing out that Harry trusted him enough to be able to work with him. Someone else, Ginny wasn't certain who, snarled that Harry must have been under the curse too. Neville retorted that Harry was the only one who could throw off the curse, but his voice was lost in the uproar before he could finish.

Finally, Draco spoke up, quietly at first. "You're right. I wasn't under the Curse," he started off, waiting for the roar to die down a bit before continuing. "I can throw the Curse," he continued. "And I can cast the Curse, but I haven't used it on any professor here," he went on, and it was finally quiet enough for most to hear him, though a few were still going on with every comment he said. "The Imperius isn't the only way to control someone. Fear works just as well, or better," he said, knowing they likely wouldn't believe him. However, Neville nodded, as did a few of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Ginny noticed they were the students from families who had lived through the first war. Some of her house mates, as hot headed as Ron, were going off, and asking what he ever had to fear.

"The Dark Lord, for one," Draco snarled back, not playing nice anymore. "And the monster that is my father, for far longer." Some of them paused at that, but one or two just kept going. When Ginny saw Draco loosening his tie and reaching to unbutton the top button, she reached out to him.

"You don't have to do that. They can leave and I'll be certain to let the Headmistress know they are not welcome back," she said, taking his hand and pulling on it, as she glared at the two who refused to let up. They glared back.

"His life has been perfect. He has nothing to fear," the girl said. Ginny felt her hand gently pushed away at that, and before she could stop him, Draco removed his tie and pulled the top of his shirt aside to show a smattering of scars across his shoulders and the scar at his collarbone from where it hadn't healed properly and left scar tissue.

"There's more scattered across my back, if you'd like to laugh at them. A few on my arms. One or two on my legs, though legs are easier to reach with a wand than your own back," he snarled at the girl, the only one still talking. Luna may have been the only one in the room other than Ginny who wasn't at the very least mildly surprised. Ginny didn't think he had confided in Luna yet, and she hadn't told of what she saw in the Hospital Wing, but Ginny figured her friend just knew. When the girl finally stopped talking, Draco waited for a moment before rebuttoning his shirt. Ernie said that class was dismissed and the others slowly made their way out. Ernie took the Gryffindor girl to the Headmistress, Neville accompanying him to be certain everything went smoothly.

"Draco, that was very brave," Luna said when it was just the three of them. "Your aura might have a tinge of red now," she continued, as serious as always. She didn't care of he didn't believe her - she was just speaking the truth. She picked up her bag and headed towards the door. "See you tomorrow," she said. Ginny wasn't sure if she had forgotten about the Feast or didn't expect to see them there, or wasn't planning on attending herself. When she turned back to Draco, that's when she noticed a tear track down his face.

"Come on, then. Back to your room," she said as she pulled on his arm. "The Feast isn't going to be nearly as exciting as your first year when the troll was let in, anyway," she joked. They walked back to the Room of Requirement, taking the back way to avoid the Great Hall. Ginny held a one-sided discussion about her classes and how she wasn't sure what she would actually do for her NEWTS when the time came. She spoke as if there was no wrong in the world and everything was normal - as if quidditch games were normal weekend fun, Hogsmeade trips were happening, and as if they were all studying for careers, not a war. She spoke so convincingly that she nearly fooled herself, at least long enough to get them back.

Draco removed his tie and outer robes when the room had provided them what they required, and he sat down in front of the fire that was happily cackling away. Ginny called out for afternoon tea, even if it was a bit late, and the Room acquiesced by calling a House Elf who soon returned with tea. She made his tea how he liked it - strong, with just a splash of milk - and push it into his hands, as he had done for her a number of times now. She then prepared her own, sat back, pulled a blanket over her legs, and waited.

And waited.

And waited a bit longer.

When she was certain they were going to have to call for another pot of tea, both having drained two cups already, he finally spoke. "How about a game of chess?" She nodded, uncertain as to what was going through his mind but understanding he needed something different than she did when it came to comfort and trust. So when the game appeared, she chose black, leaving him to play as white, and she waited again. The match was bound to be long, as neither would fold easily. She had time.

Ever so slowly as they played, Draco started to speak. He explained that while he knew it would likely come to this, he hadn't expected to be compelled to actually show any scars. None of his house mates had seen them, and he wouldn't have let the trio or her see them if he could have helped it. Every move, he let out a bit more, as if while he mulled over the game he was mulling over his life. An hour passed, and Ginny finally conceded when he seemed to be finished speaking, and she was ready for supper. As she tipped her king, Draco said his last piece on the matter. "And as long as he is still alive, I will live in fear. Not of him, of Tom, but him. My father. As long as he can still do this," he said, gesturing at the various scars on his back, front, and arms, "I can't be free."

Ginny nodded. She had Tom to haunt her; he had his father. Ginny thought he probably had the worse tormenter of the pair, though neither would stop until they were long dead and gone. She was as uncertain on what to say to him as he always seemed to be after her nightmares. "Well, then, it's a good thing Tom and your father are both incapable of reaching us tonight. I'm certain the Room will take care of that," she assured. She hoped it was true, and for tonight, she would trust it was true. If not for her, but for him.

She asked if supper could be sent to that room, and a House Elf quickly appeared with a selection from the Feast. Ginny chose a hearty stew and steamed vegetables, and Draco quickly requested the same. They tried to speak of more pleasant things for the rest of the evening, and fit in another game of chess, trying to pretend it was a normal Friday night during a normal year in a normal world. Ginny's fantasy world from their walk back featured prominently in this normal night, and they both touched on what they would like to do after leaving Hogwarts. Ginny was set on playing professional quidditch if she could get a contract, or working with her brother Charlie on a dragon reserve. If she could fly, she wanted to. Draco said he wasn't certain, but the Department of Mysteries held a certain appeal to him. Unfortunately, it was a big 'mystery' as to how one even applied - if one could apply at all - so he had been thinking of turning to business, if he had to. He had the brain for the math, if his arithmancy scores were anything to boast.

Their discussion lasted long into the evening, and the last thing Ginny remembered before she must have dozed off was Draco talking about quidditch and how the next World Cup was only a little over a year and a half away.

-x-

 _It was another running dream, though Ginny immediately knew she was being followed, and closely. Tom was chasing her, for the first time since her dreams about the Chamber, though that wasn't where she was dreaming of being trapped this time. No, this time she was in a house, a simple two story. She was running up the stairs, though her instinct told her she would be trapped. Why was she running to a room where she would be trapped? It made no sense._

 _She turned to the right, and found herself in a nursery. She had a very bad feeling about this. The mobile above the crib looked familiar. Old, but familiar. It wasn't hers, her parents had never lived in such a house, but she knew it from a picture somewhere. And that crib…_

 _It was Harry's._

 _She recognized it from a photo. She turned, grabbing for her wand but knowing it wouldn't be there. She would be trapped. Would she be killed, like Lily? Would she survive, like Harry?_

" _No, Ginevra. You'll be mine, like she should have been, and he will be ours," Tom gloated. Ginny knew he was mad, he had been mad for a very, very long time, but she didn't want to believe what she was hearing._

 _She saw a wand pointed at her and she dodged, trying to get to the window. Surely she had a better chance of her instinctive magic saving her than she had against Tom...but he cast a stunning spell at her and she barely got away - in the opposite direction of the window. She rolled, but there was nowhere to hide, and it would only be one more spell before she was well and truly trapped…_

-x-

She woke up on the floor, shoulder bruising and Draco already calling out to the Room for some bruise paste as he pulled her into a sitting position on the floor. "You're safe, Ginny. He's not here. It was a dream. You're safe," he was repeating to her slowly. Other than when he pulled her up to a sitting position, he wasn't touching her, as if he was afraid. She wasn't sure why, until she noticed she was still shielding her face with her forearms and shaking.

Her shoulder was starting to hurt. She must have landed right on it when she rolled off the couch, probably as she was rolling to dodge Tom…"Did we get the paste?" she rasped out, still shaking but trying to calm herself. "Tea, please?" she called out to the Room, hoping for something very normal to bring her a sense of comfort.

"It's here. Do you want me to leave while you put it on?" he asked, gently.

She shook her head. "I can't. Can't be alone," she said. "I've got a camisole on, anyway," she mentioned. She finally pulled her arms away from her face, breathing deep. She knew she was safe. She trusted Draco. She just needed to convince her body of the same thing. _Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out._ After a few moments, she had stopped shaking, or at least enough to undo the buttons on her shirt so she could access her shoulder. She shrugged out of her shirt, wincing, but it was manageable. She turned her head to look at her shoulder, the left one, and could see the bruise already forming. The skin itself was still red. She must have hit it very hard. She used her right hand to grab the paste and take a small amount on her fingers. The thick, sticky paste would get everywhere, and she wanted to use as little as possible. She rubbed it over the sore area as gently as possible, covering some of the surrounding area just to be safe.

She looked for a rag to wipe her fingers on, but not finding one, she used the shirt she had just removed instead. It was old, nearly threadbare, and it had belonged to one of her brothers anyway. No one would miss it. She pushed it toward the paste to put away later, but Draco picked it up and put it and the paste back on a small table before putting a cup of tea in her hands. Ginny breathed in the steam deeply. Peppermint.

Draco picked up his own cup and made to sit across from her, but she reached out her left hand to pull him down next to her. She stopped when her shoulder started to protest, but it had been enough for him to notice and change places. He sat down next to her, and when he was settled, she grabbed his hand. She held it as she slowly drank her tea, and if she was honest with herself, she didn't intend to let go unless he was really uncomfortable.

"We were in Godric's Hollow," she said. "Tom and me. He trapped me in the room Harry's mother died in. Where Tom was defeated. Only Lily and Harry weren't there. It was just me," she explained, squeezing his hand as she remembered.

"I thought about leaving through the window but he tried to stun me so I started rolling, trying to get away but there was nowhere to hide. Nowhere." She stopped. She took a few minutes to finish her tea as she started shaking again, remembering what he had said. She let go of Draco's hand as she instinctively brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around them to keep them close. She continued to shake, breathing not helping and tea not calming her. After another moment, she felt Draco's arm across her middle of her back as he pulled her closer to him in a half hug. "The paste will ruin your shirt," she whispered.

"You are more important than clothes, Ginny," he whispered back. "There's more, isn't there?" he asked.

"He said I'll belong to him, like Lily should have. I think he wants to use me against Harry," she whispered, a few tears escaping. She felt she was being silly. It was just a dream! A dream about Godric's Hollow on the night so many years ago that what she had dreamed about had been destroyed, but a dream nonetheless! So why couldn't she stop shaking? He wasn't there. He couldn't get her. He wouldn't want her anyway. The Prophet only ever mentioned his never ending search for Harry. There had been nothing suggesting the Death Eaters were looking for a girl. She was just losing it…

"You aren't going crazy," Draco whispered into her ear. She must have said that last part out loud. "Dreams can and do mean something. Luna tells us that often. Do you not trust her?" Draco reasoned.

Ginny shook her head. "But if I'm not going crazy, what does all of this mean? And why me?" she asked. She thought that might be what she feared most - learning what it all meant and what the endgame was.

Draco didn't say anything to that - he didn't know either. So he held her close until the shaking stopped, then loosened his arm to give her the choice as to what she needed. She didn't move away; if anything, she moved closer to him as she let go of her knees and started to lean back towards the couch, and Draco. They stayed that way for a while, quiet. Draco was focused on the crackling fire, lost in thought about Ginny's dreams. He wish he knew more, had known more future plans before he was nearly killed, so he could help her. He hadn't heard anything about the Dark Lord hunting for anyone other than Potter. Her dreams followed an odd pattern, but for Tom to come out in tonight's dream and say Ginny would belong to him wasn't clicking. Tom wanted followers, true, and he owned their lives and souls unless they could escape. But to take Ginny didn't follow in the pattern of magical folk he went after. There was something off, and Draco couldn't put his finger on it.

He was startled back to the present when he felt Ginny's head land on his shoulder. She had finally fallen back asleep. Unfortunately, they were still sitting on the floor, and he wasn't going to let her sleep on the floor tonight, especially not on a recently bruised shoulder. He moved, slowly, and picked her up as he rose. She was fairly easy to carry, especially considering she was at least a head shorter than him. He was going to put her on his couch, which he felt was more comfortable, but the Room decided to provide him with an actual bed.

When she was settled and he covered her with the duvet, Draco whispered, "Sweetest of dreams, Ginny." He only hoped his words could be a balm for the rest of the night.

-x-

Ginny and Draco went to breakfast together, but she chose to spend the rest of her day with Luna. Though she hadn't been sharing these more disturbing dreams with her best friend, Ginny knew Draco's words from the night before rang true. Luna would be able to help her through her dream.

Since they spent the day together, Ginny wasn't that bothered by the fact that she didn't see Draco at supper. Sometimes he came, and sometimes he didn't. But when Neville mentioned he hadn't seen the Slytherin all day, Ginny started to worry. The class the day before had riled up quite a few students and she knew they would likely need to visit the Headmistress to discuss how to move forward.

She and Luna left supper cautious and wondering if Draco was okay. As they passed an often empty hallway on the third floor, Luna paused and tilted her head towards the hall as if hearing something. "I think we need to go down that way tonight," she said with a small frown. Ginny shrugged, used to Luna saying such things. It didn't stop her from pulling out her wand and proceeding forward with caution, though.

The two young women didn't get very far down the hall before Ginny heard a moan and saw the blond hair on the floor. She took off running and skidded to a stop at Draco's side. "Draco? Can you hear me? What happened?" she asked quietly as she knelt down to grab his hand.

"It seems the nargles were feeling particularly green and vicious tonight," Luna commented as she approached at her own pace. Ginny heard Draco weakly chuckle at that before coughing.

"Just an expulso," he said, trying to push it off as nothing as he struggled to sit up. Ginny could see the bruises already forming, and she worried if he had a concussion. She also saw a few cuts she figured had to be from a spell, also.

"Let's get you to the Hospital Wing, when you're feeling ready to move," she said gently, but meaning every word. She had a feeling Draco would try to avoid it. He sighed at her comment, but weakly squeezed her hand in agreement. Luna helped Ginny get Draco into a sitting position, and steadied him on the other side so he would stay upright. The three sat there in silence as Draco found the strength to move.

"The Slytherins made this personal, didn't they?" Luna quietly asked as Draco made to stand up, in a moment of absolute clarity. He only nodded, not explaining. "Why didn't you push your magic out for help earlier? We would have come before supper had you tried," Luna softly scolded.

Draco shook his head, but didn't comment. He started walking toward the Hospital Wing, supported by the two young women. They walked slowly, and disillusioned themselves when they reached the more populated areas of the castle. When they reached the Wing, Draco stopped. Luna took off their charms and pulled him inside, with Ginny following closely. They weren't seen, and entered silently, but Madame Pomfrey seemed to be waiting for the group.

"Lie down on a bed, Mister Malfoy. You'll be spending the night," she commented with one look at him. Draco turned and tried to protest, but the matron's raised eyebrow and crossed arms, a look that meant she was serious, was something that cowed Draco slightly. Ginny heard him grumbling as he settled back in the bed, and she had to stop herself from snorting. It was just another way he was similar to Harry - she had been keeping a list.

Luna just smiled at their friend before turning and hugging Ginny. "Keep the wrackspurts at bay and talk to her," she whispered in Ginny's ear before leaving the Hospital Wing. Ginny ignored the comment for now, instead focusing on Draco. He was grumbling about drinking both a pain and Dreamless Sleep potion, but was soon asleep.

"Do you know what happened?" Madame Pomfrey asked her as she was running a diagnostic scan.

Ginny shook her head. "He mentioned an expulso had been used, so I would check for a concussion. I also noticed some cuts that I believe were from a Slicing Hex, but he didn't mention those. From what Luna guessed, he had been attacked before supper, so he could have endured more and already recovered," she shared.

"You two seem to be close, and Miss Lovegood approves. Good judge of character, she is. Just how much do you trust him?" the matron asked as she continued to treat the young man. She worked slowly enough for Ginny to follow along, without prolonging any necessary care.

"Well, I finally told him the truth about these," she mentioned, broaching the topic Luna wanted her to discuss with Madame Pomfrey by placing a hand on her forearm. "And I told him the truth about Ron and myself. I suppose that means I trust him quite a bit now." Ginny couldn't look the healer in the eyes as she admitted she had been struggling with both topics again.

Madame Pomfrey looked the girl over at that. Very few people knew how deeply her brother had hurt her. Ginny hadn't been extremely open with her about it, but the matron knew about her harming herself, and they had discussed it various times through Ginny's Hogwarts career. The matron always took note for any new scars whenever the young woman had ended up in the Hospital Wing, and they had occasionally talked through her current struggles. Ron still featured prominently, and it caused the matron's heart to ache for the girl.

"Do you need me to heal anything for you?" Madame Pomfrey asked the young woman, eyes shifting to her forearms where she had seen her hand land. Ginny looked as if she would deny it, but then tilted her head slightly, took in the honest offer, and nodded her head.

"Same promise as before? If I explain why, you won't bring it up with my family?" she asked. When the matron nodded, Ginny gently placed Draco's hand back on the bed, and moved to a bed right next to his to give Madame Pomfrey more room to work. She rolled up both sleeves, and she ripped off the plasters covering them. The older cuts were healed, but the newer ones criss-crossed a few of the old and looked as if they could be irritating the sensitive tissue.

"I'll grab an antiseptic and healing salve, if you'll stay right here," Madame Pomfrey said quietly. Ginny just nodded, familiar with this routine. While she waited, she wrote a short note to Luna on her bracelet charm to let her friend know she was having an impromptu counseling session. She knew she didn't need to explain further for Luna to know what state she would be in tonight.

Madame Pomfrey came back, and started to rub the salve onto Ginny's cuts and the immediate area. It was a sticky paste, but Ginny knew from experience that it would soak in quickly and the magic in the salve would leave it dry to the touch at that point. "What brought on each of these?" the matron asked when she was finish.

Ginny sighed at that, but motioned at the three parallel cuts on her left arm. "Draco actually found me the night I did these. The news of the older sibling attacking the younger one made me remember Ron and I was trapped in a few flashbacks," she admitted. "I haven't cut since that night, though Draco and Luna both have been trying to help. I know I should have come to you sooner, but it's just been so erratic. The dreams that bring these on, I mean. I don't know when they are coming, and sometimes I wake up and just can't ground myself until I realize I've done this. Sometimes I've chosen to because it's easier, or I feel like I deserve a punishment. I know we've talked about how that's not right, but these dreams...they are disturbing, and I'm not always thinking right when I wake up," Ginny finished without going into much detail about the dreams. She figured the older witch would ask if she felt it necessary.

Madame Pomfrey looked over her charge, her trainee, and her friend carefully. She saw the young woman spoke the truth, but that didn't make it easier. "Have you been using your other coping mechanisms? Do you need help with some meditation to try to keep the dreams at bay?" she asked, slipping into Mind Healer mode, a role she had played for Ginny ever since she was released from Tom's diary.

"I've tried that some, with Luna, but these dreams. Well. You remember how I told you Tom had been in my dreams the summer after my first year?" Ginny paused, and only continued when the healer gave her an affirmative. "I'm having those dreams again, except some of them are actually predicting current or very-near-future events. I don't know when they will come, only that they always relate directly to something Tom is feeling strongly about," she finally admitted.

The healer paused at that, thinking everything through. She knew, as well as Ginny already knew, that Dreamless Sleep couldn't be given more than a few nights in a row before requiring a set amount of time off the potion. "If you can, I'd like you to come to me after a dream, no matter what state you're in. If you need time to calm down first so you can make it safely, do that, but I'd like to see you no matter the time of night. If we can work through the dream then, perhaps we can figure out the pattern and the connection. You know I'm always here for you, Ginny," Poppy reminded the young woman by using her given name. It wasn't a line she crossed with any but the most promising trainees and those who had become like the family she had lost.

"Yes, Poppy. I try to talk to Draco or Luna, but I know they aren't trained Mind Healers," she said. "I've been a bit ashamed. And at first, Ron was still in the castle and I was afraid he would find out I was visiting you again and we'd start second year all over again," Ginny admitted in a small voice. She may be 16, but sometimes she felt like that lonely, lost 12 year old.

"If we need to find a more secret way for you to visit, we can work that out, but I'd like you to come. With all the fear this year, I've had many more students coming for calming draughts and the like, as I'm sure you've noticed from the younger years you accompany here. There's nothing to be ashamed of," Poppy reminded her with a warm smile. She came to Ginny's side and gave her a half-hug. "Why don't you get to your common room? I'm certain the Headmistress will be seeing you tomorrow, especially as I'll be reporting this as an attack. You'll want to be rested for that. Hopefully Tom will leave you alone tonight, but if not, come straight back here," she relayed to the young woman before releasing her.

Ginny grimaced a bit at the thought of meeting with the Headmistress, but knew the healer was correct, and left with a small smile after squeezing one of Draco's hands in comfort. "Pleasant dreams, Draco," she commented, even knowing he wouldn't dream with the potion. She only wished he could say something to keep her dreams sweet.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _No warnings for this chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

The next morning after breakfast, Ginny and Draco had been asked to join the Headmistress in her office with Luna, Ernie, and Neville. The topic of discussion had been the incident in the Defence class on Friday and the subsequent attack on Draco the previous evening, and how it was to be settled. Though the attack was from a Slytherin, someone had leaked that the cause was the disgrace Draco had shown in the Defence class on Friday by not willingly serving. Apparently the Gryffindor who acted out had been overheard. They agreed that the Gryffindor who acted out would no longer be welcomed in the class, as stated at the beginning of the year, but the Headmistress had asked if they would prefer to have a professor lead any future lectures or discussions. Ginny wasn't sure what to say to that. Would it be useful? Probably, but would they really need it after yesterday? If Ginny could read her classmates well enough, they wouldn't have another incident. She turned to Luna, the person she trusted most on reading people and their emotions.

Luna had said that the remaining group would have no issues. They had been shocked, but she felt many had started down the path of understanding. She wasn't as forgiving toward the Slytherin students in general, but admitted she couldn't feel who had attacked Draco and didn't want to 'spread the nargles around the castle.'

And with that, the class was to continue as it had been. The Headmistress had decided to attend the last session of the term, as their exam of sort. She asked the last session be a round of dueling, which would be more than enough for her to gauge their progress. When the five students left, Ginny turned to thank Neville, but he only shook his head and said it was the right thing to do. He then asked if they would be focusing on dodging and defensive skills, like they had been in the flying class. He mentioned it would make for an impressive session for the Headmistress, but also allow her to access what they should focus on for the second term, in order to prepare. They all knew what he meant by that, and quickly agreed they would focus on defensive maneuvers and escape tactics.

The next few weeks were spent focusing on classes. The recreational flying had been reduced to every other Saturday, as much due to homework levels as to weather, but Ginny still had students coming up to her on their off Saturdays, wondering if they could study together or discuss different flying techniques. She was starting to wonder if the students were finally joining together that year and realized how much they needed each other and actually enjoyed spending time together.

The NEWT Defense class did get back to a more normal run after Halloween, and Neville was doing a lot of work to help with the defensive maneuvers. Ginny didn't know where he had learned so much, but he was brilliant at using different plants as camouflage, dodging behind trees, rolls, and many of the moves they tried on brooms, just adapted for the ground. The students had started spending the last half hour dueling each other, and Ginny thought it was time to add some healing spells to their repertoire. She knew the basics, but if they started training harder, Madame Pomfrey was going to start seeing a lot of students on Tuesday and Friday afternoons.

Everything seemed to be going well, except for Ginny's evenings. Since her dream on Halloween, she had been foolishly afraid to go to sleep. She was sleeping in fits, more like naps if she was honest, because of the fear of what she would learn next. The lack of normal sleep was starting to affect her work in classes, but with the increased preparation for end of term exams, the professors took it as normal stress. Luna was worried about her, but was dealing with her worries in her normal sense. She tried to distract Ginny, talk to her candidly and on non-school related topics, and she even offered to let Ginny spend the night in her dorm room in one of the free beds. Ginny declined, though she seriously thought about it first.

After three weeks, her body gave in and she slept, hard, until she had another nightmare. It wasn't as bad as the one at Halloween, but it woke her with a racing heart and shaking hands. She checked the time - six in the morning - and decided to take a long bath to calm her nerves, and put on the radio to keep her mind distracted. It seemed to work, at least enough to somewhat relax her enough to quit shaking. Ginny knew she should go to the Hospital Wing, but she really didn't want to discuss the dream just yet. Instead, she prepared for her day, realizing it was Sunday, but went down to the Great Hall for an early meal all the same. A few younger students were up, and studying. Exams were starting that week, and Ginny knew she should probably be studying herself, but she needed a break. She would pass, or she wouldn't, but she really wasn't worried. She typically performed well in classes, and having studied with Luna and Draco all term had allowed her to perform her best this year, better than any other year. Today, or at least this morning, she needed to relax.

Luna came down as Ginny was pouring a second cup of tea, and sat with Ginny. The two discussed what plan they had for the winter holidays. Luna would be going home to spend the month with her father, like they normally did. She would help her father edit the Quibbler, as they wrote as much of the truth about Harry and the Order as they could without bringing the Death Eaters down on them. Ginny wished her luck, and a good holiday. When Luna asked where she would be spending the holidays, Ginny was honest. "I don't really know. I didn't sign up to stay here this year, but I suppose I should. I can't go back to the Burrow, so I have nowhere else to go," she said. Her parents had asked, through Bill and Fleur, that none of their children come home that year. They were still being watched and they did not want to temp Harry, Hermione, and Ron into coming home. "Nowhere to go for what?" Draco asked as he sat down next to Ginny and across from Luna. He pulled himself a bacon sandwich and poured a cup of tea.

"Winter holidays. My parents asked for none of us to return home this year," Ginny said. Luna quickly offered to ask her father if Ginny could stay with them, but Ginny pointed out how close that was to the Burrow, and Luna nodded sagely. She agreed the temptation would be too great.

Draco thought for a moment, and then bent down to whisper to Ginny so he couldn't be overheard, except perhaps by Luna. "You could come spend the holiday with my mother and myself," he offered. He wasn't entirely certain why, but Ginny was probably his closest friend and he didn't want to see her upset at Christmas. "It's still secret kept; it will be safe," he mentioned, knowing Ginny would understand who she would be safe from. The trip from the castle to the location could be difficult as they would have to take the train, but they could worry about that if she agreed.

Ginny looked at him, as if to access his sincerity. Luna leaned over, and touched Ginny's wrist, the one on which she wore her bracelet from Luna. "Go," her friend said. "You can contact me if you need me," she said, touching the charm on the bracelet as she mentioned it. "Perhaps you'll find a snorkack!" she said, smiling.

Ginny smiled back at her friend and at her happiness. She nodded. "If you're sure she'll have me," she answered Draco, worried. Draco may be different, but was his mother? She always acted so cruel to anyone she felt was beneath her, and Ginny certainly was. But if she had been abused like Draco had been, perhaps it would be okay. She was in a safe house, away from her husband, and had been saving money so they could live without him. And Draco wouldn't invite her just to watch her be humiliated, would he?

"She'll be more than happy for some female company, if her last communication was any indication," Draco said. "But I will ask her if you are really that worried about it," he allowed, resolving to find a way to speak to his mother in person before the end of the week so Ginny could rest easy. If he went today, he could let her know by supper. He planned on that, and quickly finished eating so he could excuse himself for the day.

Ginny asked Luna if she could join her for the day, just so she could have some company and perhaps feel productive as well. She didn't really wanted to study with Luna and her study group, but she knew she could journal, draw, or review plans for the Defence class for the next semester. Luna happily invited her to join them in the Library when it opened at ten, and they returned to chatting about Luna's plans for Christmas.

-x-

Draco went to the Headmistress' office directly from breakfast, and waited at the landing until the statue moved to let him up. He had only asked to contact his mother once before since he had returned to Hogwarts nearly dead, but the Headmistress had been amenable enough that time. He hoped she was in a pleasant mood today.

When he explained why he wished to speak to his mother, the professor's eyes softened and she stated that she needed to go find a book from the Restricted Section of the library and would be back in about thirty minutes. As she spoke, she opened a drawer and pulled out a small dish of the special Floo powder that would allow him a secret and secure connection. An invention of Dumbledore's that was used sparingly, as it could only be used from Dumbledore's untraceable Floo. She left, and Draco sat on the floor in front of the Floo as soon as he had taken a pinch of the special powder.

"Narcissa Black," he called out into the purple flames.

A head popped into the fireplace about a minute later. "Draco," she breathed. "Is everything okay?" she asked, worrying over her son.

"Yes, mum," he replied. "We're doing okay. Just some minor setbacks with the Defence class, but we're okay. He hasn't been around the school in person, and neither has Father. As far as I know. I wanted to use the secure Floo just in case," he explained, trying to dissolve her worry. "I'm calling more to ask a favor."

His mother nodded and smiled. He hoped he had been correct about his mother. He hadn't told Ginny, though she was a smart girl and probably figured it out, but his mother had endured much of the same as Draco. His father was a smart man and knew just what to say and when, and where he could get away with his specialties. His mother was strong, and while she did believe in blood purity, she also strongly believed in family, and wanted happiness for her family. Right now, her family was Draco, and he hoped his happiness would be what she considered now.

"I'd like to bring a friend home for the winter holidays. She can't go home to her family, and I don't think she would fare well spending the holidays stuck at Hogwarts," he started to explain. "I think she may be my first true friend," Draco admitted to his mother.

"She knows about you? Are you...close?" his mother asked, and Draco knew what she meant by the second comment.

"Ginny is the one who found Severus and I at the gates last summer. She's stood up for me. She knows more about me than I think anyone else my age does. But no, we aren't seeing each other. We're just friends," he said. He waited for his mother to make the connection.

"The youngest Weasley? Their girl?" she asked carefully. When he nodded, she sighed. "Well, it makes sense. They are a family who can care for just about anyone when they understand the circumstances. She must have a kind heart, if she's anything like her mother." Draco was carefully studying his mother's face as she spoke. She didn't sneer, didn't look disappointed, nothing that he was certain Ginny feared. She wasn't exactly open, but wasn't opposed, if he was reading her correctly.

"Mother?" he questioned, knowing their time would be short and wanting to come to a decision before the Headmistress returned.

His mother started. "Yes, of course she can come. I can imagine spending the holiday alone would be rather difficult when she is used to being surrounded by people and love," his mother said, wistfully. "We cannot make up for that, but we can be company and we can be a safe place for her."

Draco nodded. He knew it wouldn't be the same, but he also knew that Ginny had withdrawn a bit from people this term as the dreams had gotten worse. If she couldn't be with Luna, Draco hoped she could feel comfortable enough with him. He didn't want to tell his mother about Ginny's dreams and needing a safe place - that would only complicate matters more. For now, it was enough that his mother understood he wanted to give his friend an option. "Thank you, Mother. I'm sure we will have a more pleasant holiday with Ginny than we've had in the past," he said. His mother agreed, and they moved onto more pleasant topics until the Headmistress returned. Draco said his goodbyes, and his mother dismissed him as she wished to speak with the Headmistress for a moment.

-x-

By supper that evening, Ginny was just ready to go to bed. After being up early, worrying about spending the holiday with Draco and his mother, and studying for their upcoming exams, her brain was about to shut off. She only hoped she would be able to sleep well tonight, otherwise her exams in the morning were bound to go poorly. Her review with Luna had gone well, or well enough that she had no worries about passing. She and Luna had actually spent most of the afternoon doing a mix of review and talking about everything not related to school, and Ginny still felt confident. She just knew that if she slept poorly, she would be more likely to fall asleep during an exam, which would result in a poor grade.

She sighed, but tried not to worry over it. To help keep her mind calm, Ginny selected an herbal tea with supper, and tried to eat lightly. She listened to Neville talk about his plans for the holidays, and she tried to keep up with the conversation around her, but she didn't actively participate, just smiled and nodded when it was appropriate. It was enough for those she was sitting with, and she reckoned that many of the students were thinking about exams and the holidays and lost in their own thoughts themselves.

When Ginny saw Draco stand to leave the Great Hall, she made her excuses and got up to follow him. She caught Luna's eye and received a bright smile from her friend, and Ginny smiled back before hurrying after him. Draco was waiting for her outside of the hall. "Hi," she said, shyly.

"Hi," he said back before turning towards the Room of Requirement. "I spoke with my mother today," he said. "She would be very happy to have you join us for the holidays."

Ginny looked at him but kept walking. "Are you certain? You did tell her just exactly who you planned on bringing?" she asked, still doubtful but a seed of hope planted in her chest.

He nodded. "She said that we could be company and a safe place for you, though she doubts we can be quite as boisterous as you are used to," he said. "She was happy that I am happy." He let that settle in Ginny's head while they continued to walk towards the Room.

Ginny smiled, sadly, but it was still a smile. "Yes, I imagine no one can quite make up for the twins, though I admit it might be nice to have a prank free Christmas for once," she teased. "In that case, yes, I will come spend the holiday with you and your mother." She looked around, and when she was certain no one else was around, she pulled him into a quick hug. "And, thank you."

When they finally reached the Room of Requirement, Ginny said her goodnights, using the excuse of exams and needing sleep. She wished him pleasant dreams, and he wished her the sweetest of dreams.

She hoped his wish would be true.

-x-

Exams went about as expected for Ginny. She passed all of her classes, some better than others, but she had passed and that was all that really mattered this year. It was the Defense class she had actually been most nervous about, as the Headmistress would be attending to see their duels against each other. Ginny was confident everyone would pass, but she wanted the Headmistress to be impressed with their work thus far, not just show they were sufficient.

To accommodate the type of exam this would be, they had arranged to have the exam on Friday afternoon instead of Tuesday, making it the last exam of the week. The entire room had been cleared of desks, but Ginny and Luna had erected some walls of varying heights, just a handful, but enough to make the exam interesting. Ginny had also opted to set up an area off to the side for healing, as the group had started learning some basics and she felt it would be good to be prepared, just in case.

When the Headmistress arrived, the class had already split into groups. Pairs were common for duels, but everyone knew that in a real fight, they could be fighting multiple people at once. Grouping up instead allowed them to practice spells coming from all angles, and firing back at all angles. The students had just started this kind of training after Halloween, but they were showing a lot of skill and had agreed to perform in that way for their exam. There were four groups total, and the Headmistress was pleased to see they were mixed groups. The students had integrated well. "We'll go one group at a time. Decide now what order each person in your group would like to prove their defensive skills. When all members of your group have had their chance, we'll move on to the next group. You may leave when you are done or you may stay. We'll consider your turn in your group up when you have either incapacitated the majority of those you are defending against, or when you have been immobilized," the Headmistress explained. "Now, no damaging spells - we do not intend to hurt anyone at this time. I'd like to see what you can do with shields, basic jinxes and hexes, and stunning spells. Nothing more than third year spells for attacks. You may use your full defensive arsenal, however," she continued.

And with that, they began.

The first group, a group of four, took nearly forty minutes. No one had gone down before eight minutes a turn, even by the end when everyone was tired. Ginny was proud of all of them. The next group, another group of four, took slightly longer, around forty five minutes total. They looked pleased with themselves, and two in that group, two of their most proficient healers, had even healed themselves mid-duel without going down. The third group, a group of three, lasted just under thirty minutes total. Neville had been in this group and had shown off his bravery in a way Ginny hadn't been noticing in classes. He had developed a skill of rushing an opponent, and dodging away behind a barrier or a shield just before he would be hit. It was reckless, but he lasted the longest of any student so far.

The last group was comprised of the four student leaders. Everyone had stuck around to watch their exhibition - they knew what this group of capable of. No one had wanted to miss it. Ernie and Luna had volunteered to be the first two 'targets' in their group. They were very skilled, but they knew they would have a better chance at bringing down Draco and Ginny if they attempted to wear the two out, first. Ernie lasted over fifteen minutes, and was finally downed as he rolled behind a barrier. He had been bared caught by a Petrificus Totalus on a toe, but it had been enough to still him. He looked a bit disappointed in himself, but quickly recovered to team up with Draco and Ginny to go after Luna.

Luna had a very interesting technique, one that even Ginny had trouble figuring out even though she was probably the one who knew Luna best. Luna's abilities to read auras apparently helped with sensing spells, and she was a fierce nonverbal caster as well. The other students in the class had very quickly learned that though Luna gave off the appearance of dottiness, she would quickly take you out in a duel. The three battled Luna for twenty minutes before Ginny was finally able to distract Luna and Ernie cast a binding spell. Ginny felt guilty, but Luna just grinned at her and congratulated Ginny on an ingenious attack.

The last two, Ginny and Draco, were going to be the most interesting, and everyone knew it. They always lasted the longest in practice, and were fierce on the quidditch pitch training days as well. Draco had suggested he go third, and Ginny, though surprised, had agreed. Ernie, Luna, and she knew he would be near impossible to bring down with the caliper of spells they were held to for this exhibition, so they quickly decided to switch tactics to a cat and mouse sort of game. Luna offered to be the bait first and lasted close to ten minutes against Draco as she played the obvious target and allowed Ernie and Ginny to sneak around to try to flush him out. Ernie and Ginny then decided to continue to play the flushing game, and almost all spells stopped for quite some time. They focused on honing their tracking skills, and nearly caught Draco once or twice before Ernie was surprised and lost his wand to Draco.

Ginny knew this was as good as her turn in the group, though she wasn't fighting against three. It would take all of her skill to try to outlast Draco at this point, though technically he should have won his round as he had taken out the majority. Ginny preferred this one-on-one duel with Draco, though, and as she observed the group and the Headmistress, she had a hunch this had been the Headmistress' wish all along. They seemed to know something she didn't. She refocused, knowing she needed every trick in her book, and maybe a few she had been developing but hadn't practiced just yet.

The pair circled each other for minutes before Ginny darted out to try to draw his fire. She was just rolling behind a barrier when she saw the light of a spell. She pulled her legs in and landed on her side as she recalled the path. It had been from the back of the space, but angled. He was moving. She cast a disillusionment charm on herself, knowing the moment it took to cast was a risk, but she used that moment to listen, and wait. She couldn't hear footsteps or breathing. He had masked himself well.

Ginny then opted for a different approach. Most people forgot to mask their personal scent when being tracked. Ginny had opted for nothing more than a bland shampoo and soap this morning, knowing the duel was this afternoon. It was something she had been trying to hone in on, as much to protect herself as to protect her friends in a real battle. If she could detect them by scent and know they belonged to her side, she didn't need to be able to see them. She had started with Luna's unique scent, as the blond preferred vegetable-scented shampoo. With all her hair, the scent easily wafted through a room. But Draco's spiced scent was nearly as noticeable.

She quickly cast an odd spell for a duel - it was one her mother used to freshen a room at home. Ginny made the room smell more of flowers. It was subtle, and as soon as Ginny used the spell she moved to a different part of the room as she knew Draco would be able to identify the direction of the scent until it overtook the room. And it was as she was moving she caught the distinctively different scent of him. In fact, she would have walked right past him if she hadn't been focusing.

That was how, after thirty minutes of the two of them circling each other in a hide and seek dance, that Ginny stunned Draco. She disillusioned herself and cancelled the charms on Draco before helping him up to a loud round of applause from all the students in the room.

"Excellent work, all of you," the Headmistress said. "You are well advanced in practically defensive skills. But Miss Weasley, how did you know Draco was right there?"

Ginny blushed, but knew she needed to share her idea with the group anyway. "Smell. I've started to focus in on what scent everyone prefers. I thought it was a useful defense when working in a group. If I could identify a person without having to see them, I could work with them back to back when defending against multiple people. I'd know if they moved away," she explained.

The Headmistress nodded. "A practical approach, though not one everyone can use if they do not have a keen sense of smell. Very well done. Top marks for everyone as you all far exceeded my expectations, and pleasant holidays," she said before exiting the room to head towards the Great Hall. It was only then that Ginny noticed it was nearly time for supper - they, as a class, had been dueling all afternoon.

Draco spoke up before everyone left. "Excellent work. I know we all could have performed even better if we could have used better offensive spells. Let's not lose our edge over the holidays, though. We'll pick back up next term with more nonverbal casting. Luna's special skill with it should really help everyone," he explained. "We'll see you in the new year."

Everyone in the class was wishing each other pleasant holidays, and walked out of the classroom together, laughing and relaxed now that the term was officially over. They would be boarding the train in the morning, those who were going home at least, and could enjoy an entire month with family and friends. They walked in to supper a bit late, but weren't bothered and sat together at one of the tables with the most seats, not caring which house it belonged to. The group was enjoying themselves too much, enjoying their sense of freedom.

-x-

Ginny met Draco down in the Entrance Hall the next morning. She had sent a small trunk ahead with the others, though she probably could have fit everything in a large bag. Even using a small trunk she hadn't packed much. She didn't have many clothes and hadn't planned on bringing any of her schoolwork with her other than her Defence books. She did want to plan and add to the curriculum for the class for the second term. The students had pushed through almost everything they had planned, and now it would be refinement. But she had a few ideas of what they could add in to keep their skills sharp.

"Ready for a train ride?" Draco asked.

"I suppose so. I am a bit nervous," she admitted. She had been thinking of the stories of the train ride on September first, when a pair of Death Eaters had stopped the train to walk through and look for Harry. They were looking for her, too, she now figured. She wasn't sure it was actually safe to take the train, but she hadn't dreamt about anything all week like she had for such previous events.

Draco took her hand and squeezed it. "You'll not only have a fair amount of our Defence class on board, but many of your recreational flying fans. Besides, they know Harry isn't at Hogwarts and wouldn't be caught dead on the train," he reasoned. He was a bit nervous himself, but he also knew the prefects could alert the professors back at the castle at any time.

The students were soon on the train and settled into their compartments. Ginny sat with Draco, and Luna soon joined them. Ernie was staying at Hogwarts with a few of the lower year Hufflepuffs. His family had gone into hiding anyway, and he had said he preferred to keep the younger students' spirits up. Ginny knew it was only a half truth, but she had left him a small present and told him to use his Dumbledore's Army coin if he needed anything. So the three other student leaders settled in. Draco had politely asked Luna about her plans for the holiday and settled in to listen to her discuss her plans to write some articles for the Quibbler and what topics she wanted to cover.

Ginny smiled at Draco, happy he seemed happy to listen to the girl most people would ignore. She turned to listen to Luna's plans for articles about Harry, but the train's motion soon sent her to sleep.

-x-

 _Oh no, Ginny thought to herself nearly as soon as she realized she had fallen asleep and was dreaming. She was trapped in the room she had spent more than a few dreams in. She felt she was alone for the time being, but she could hear footsteps above her, and someone was laughing in pure excitement. She knew that laugh, and she knew something bad was about to happen. Tom was only that happy when something finally went according to his plans. Like when she had finally released the basilisk on a student, or when she had foolishly allowed Harry to talk to Tom._

 _She was in very big trouble. She looked around the room, but there was nowhere to hide. There was a bed and a bucket, and Ginny knew she was to be there for quite some time. But the bed was on the floor, so she couldn't hide beneath it - not that hiding there would do her much good anyway._

 _So she paced, her fears screaming at her and the panic rising. They hadn't covered escapes, yet, in the defense course, and without a wand again she couldn't do much. She wanted to feel hopeless but knew if she allowed herself to feel that way, all was lost._

 _The trapdoor was opening, and Ginny rushed to position herself to see if she could see any identifying signs about the room above the floor. She didn't see much, but it was a normal home, and reminded her of her dream on Halloween, about Godric's Hollow._

 _Tom peered down at her and laughed. "I told you that you would belong to me, Ginevra," he said. "Who thought it would be so easy to find you?"_

" _Get away, Tom," she whispered, more to herself. It was a dream, she knew it was a dream; she had to push him out…_

And she was pushing against someone who was trying to hold her shoulders. "Get away!" she said, not quite yelling as that would only bring more of Tom's anger. "Tom, get off!" she said, starting to cry.

"Ginny," she heard an airy voice call out. "That's Draco. Tom isn't here," the voice called out. "I think you're hurting him."

Ginny finally realized she was in the train compartment, awake, and Luna was staring at her oddly. She looked down at her hands, and noticed they were pushed up against Draco, pushing him against the wall. She quickly dropped them, moved away from him, and hid her face.

Luna spoke up after sharing a look with Draco. "I think she wants you to comfort her," as Draco looked at Ginny, unsure of what to do. "I don't think she was awake yet, before," she said.

Draco moved towards Ginny carefully, and pulled her close when she turned towards him. "Some of the dreams aren't as bad, but then some are of him holding her captive," Draco started up again, trying to explain. "Has she shared any of those with you, Luna?"

Ginny nodded, listening. "I've mentioned them. I was back in that room. He intends to hold me for a while down there. I saw a bed. He opened the trapdoor, and the room above reminded me of Harry's parents' home from my Halloween dream," she said, barely loud enough for Luna to hear. She wiped her eyes with a hand before gently pushing back from Draco. "I think I'd like to go wash my face," she said. "I'll be right down the hall," she whispered as she stood to leave.

Draco sighed. He stood with her and checked the hall when she left, to see where she was headed and if a professor was close by. He saw a prefect one car over, and relaxed a little. He sat back down, and faced Luna. She had a thoughtful look on her face. "I know Ginny doesn't believe in Divination, but a dream catcher could be useful if made by the right Diviner. Perhaps Firenze could weave her one when we return to Hogwarts," she said. Draco knew Luna had some skill in a few forms of Divination, and he trusted her when it came to dreams. She had been helping Ginny with her minor ones, after all. He nodded, and asked her to help remind him to approach the centaur when they returned.

They settled in, waiting for Ginny to return. When five minutes had passed and she hadn't come back, Draco started to get anxious. Luna offered to go check on her friend, but when she returned to the compartment, she had a grim look on her face. "She's gone, and she left her wand," the girl said, holding Ginny's wand out for Draco to take.

Draco knew what that meant. Ginny had been taken.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _Lots of warnings on this chapter, dears. This chapter mentions rape at various points. Please make sure you're in a safe place before you read this._

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

Draco asked Luna to come with him to his mother's so they could make a plan on how to rescue their friend. They had notified the prefect Draco saw earlier, but by the time the prefect heard from a professor at the castle, the train had pulled into the station. All Draco and Luna knew was that the Headmistress was aware and would be alert with her contacts at the Ministry for information. Draco knew that was nearly as much as could be done, but he needed to do more. He knew Luna would be a formidable ally, and as of that time, the only one he had. He considered trying to contact Potter, Weasley, and Granger, but they had been on the run for so long that Draco wasn't sure how to contact them. Luna mentioned she had an idea, but wanted to be in a safe place to discuss it, and agreed to come to his mother's to do so.

Draco stayed on the Platform Nine and Three-Quarters as the crowd thinned out, and when there were only a few people standing around he asked Luna to stand close to the wall, hiding in a shadow. He cast a shield followed by a concealment charm on the shield, to hide them just before apparating to the safe house where Severus had hidden his mother.

When they arrived in the foyer, his mother was waiting but was surprised when she saw a blond instead of a red head. "Draco?" she asked, not bothering with formalities as she noticed the distressed look on the two young faces.

"They took her. He took her. The Dark Lord will soon have Ginny if he doesn't already, and we need to find her," he said in a rush. He noticed his mother's glance at the girl beside him who was decidedly not Ginny. "This is Luna Lovegood, and she knows how to contact the Golden Trio to see if they can help."

His mother ushered them into the small living room and started a kettle for tea. She sat them down and asked Draco to start at the beginning, and why the Dark Lord would want the girl. Draco did his best to explain his theory that Dumbledore had placed some spell on Ginny to stop her dreams of Tom the summer after her first year, and when he died, the spell had failed. He explained the intensity of the dreams, sharing some specifics, how often they seemed to occur, and how they were tied to some event. He shared that the last dream she had shared with him prior to the one from today was one from Halloween, when Tom had said Ginny would belong to him.

He then mentioned what little Ginny had said about today's dream on the train before she had disappeared from the lavatory. He said that she thought it looked similar to the Potter's old house in Godric's Hollow, and that she had been in a cellar of sorts, with a bed. And he said that Tom had told Ginny she finally belonged to him.

All the while, Luna had removed a coin from her pocket and had been enchanting it every few minutes. She finally looked up with a smile. "Draco, they can come. They need an apparition point," she said. Draco thought. He didn't like sending a location where it could be intercepted. But the town a mile away, through the forest, would work. He could apparate there and bring them along. He gave the town name to Luna, who quickly sent one last message through the coin. A moment later, she looked up from the coin again. "They'll be there in five minutes."

Draco nodded. "Mother, I think we may need some more tea," he said as he stood. "I'll be back shortly."

-x-

Ginny woke up, knowing from the bump on her head that this was real, even though it looked exactly like her dream. She was trapped in a room, a room with a bed laying on the floor and a bucket in one corner. She patted down her pockets, but she didn't have her wand. She paced out the size of the room, and it was the same as it had been in her first dream of the room. It was just as dim, and she could see the trapdoor above her, and the lock holding it in place.

She tried not to cry, holding herself gently, but she couldn't help a tear leaking out of her eye. She was trapped, she wasn't going to be able to get out on her own, and she wasn't even sure anyone would come looking for her. _Stop that. Draco will tell someone, if he can't come himself._ She wasn't sure if that was true, but she was fairly confident he would notice she had gone missing. She didn't know what time it was - she could have been gone for days already, or only minutes. But Draco would notice, and Luna would as well. Her friend acted dotty, but she was especially observant.

Ginny knew she should probably sit down and save her strength, but she needed to be moving. Moving meant thinking, and thinking meant still alive and under her own control. Who knew what would happen when she finally saw someone. So she paced, for what seemed like an hour, before she finally sat down. She chose to sit on the floor rather than the bed, as she didn't want to fall asleep. She was sure that letting herself sleep at this point would be giving in too easily. She at least needed to know if she were going to be fed and watered, or if she was to be forgotten.

She wasn't sure how long she sat, though it was long enough to get into a semi-meditative state as Luna had been teaching her, before she heard the lock on the trapdoor open. She stayed seated, not wanting to risk being stunned, and she stared ahead of her instead of looking up as if eager or afraid. She needed to stay calm and rational. She could get out of this if she could keep her wits about her. She flinched at the sound of the trapdoor whinging open, and an oddly familiar odor soon wafted down. It was Tom himself, though she was certain he had Death Eaters training their wands on her as he stood over her, much like her dream had been.

"Ginevra Weasley, my silly little girl," he said. "You have finally arrived. It seems these are the only guest rooms we have available at this time," he said, and she heard someone snicker. "It's not as if you'll need anything more, in any case," Tom continued. He may not look like her Tom, but she needed to keep him firmly in her mind as that. It would be easier to process later.

"Why do you want me?" she allowed herself to ask, trying to keep a note of calm in her voice. She was feeling very anxious, even with the attempt at meditation, but she felt it would be important to put on a brave face to him. He laughed at that question.

"The only daughter in a line of seven, and the first in generations? The magic you possess is the tool I need for a tricky bit of magic. Your heir will be the perfect sacrifice of your magic," he stated, a manic look in her eye that confirmed to Ginny he was mad. But she had heard what he said, and any color that had been in her face quickly drained away. She knew what that meant, as she had no heir, and she knew what that bed was for. She knew what happened to women in muggle wars, and though she hadn't heard of it in the recent wizarding wars, it was occasionally a topic in History of Magic.

She leaned away at his statement as her brain processed what he meant, and he laughed again. "Didn't I tell you that you were to be mine?" he said as he closed to trapdoor again.

Ginny couldn't help it anymore; she curled up into a ball and cried herself into exhaustion, and eventually, sleep.

-x-

Draco had been somewhat surprised when Harry and Hermione arrived by themselves. He didn't ask, but Hermione whispered to him that Ron had walked off months ago and they had been traveling alone. He nodded, and then asked if the pair would trust him to apparate directly to the safe house, so he wouldn't have to inform them of the location. They nodded, and he grabbed their forearms and apparated into the entryway. His mother and Luna were both there, waiting.

"Mister Potter, Miss Granger," his mother welcomed them. "I've some tea prepared in the living area if you'd like to warm up as we chat." Hermione looked at the woman, as if uncertain as to how to assess her, but nodded and pulled Harry after her into the room Luna disappeared into. The woman made seemed to make Hermione nervous, though Draco knew she didn't quite understand why there were there in the first place. She didn't know why Ginny wouldn't have gone home to the Weasley's, as they hadn't had the time to explain when using the coin.

Draco noticed she was lost in thought enough that she did not notice Narcissa personally handing her a cup of tea. "Miss Granger," the woman said quietly. "Do you think you could leave that bit of him in that locket out of the room for this discussion?" Hermione and Harry were both suddenly very alert to what the woman had said, and Hermione checked the chain around her neck. It was visible, and she relaxed slightly but looked at the older woman carefully. "The Dark Lord will play enough of a part in this story, we do not need a bit of his soul trying to listen in, or the dark magic clouding our thoughts," the woman stated firmly, flatly laying out what she knew, and could feel coming from that necklace.

Hermione looked at Harry, and nodded once, sharply. Harry returned the nod. "I can put it in my bag and leave the bag by the door, but within sight," Hermione offered. They could not afford to lose it. Narcissa tilted her head, but nodded after a moment. It would taint the room but not Hermione's mind, at least not as strongly. Hermione removed the locket, and stood to put it on a side table by the hinges of the door, where it couldn't be easily grabbed when one entered or exited the room. She sighed, and took a deep breath when she returned to sit and take her tea. It would only take a moment for the fog to clear.

When she looked back at Harry and offered a weak smile, he smiled back and then turned to Draco. "I believe Hermione and I are rather behind on everything. But most important right now is why are we here, and why does he want Ginny?" Harry said, narrowing in on the two most important questions. He knew that every moment would count for his friend.

Draco launched into an explanation of Ginny's dreams for the third time that day. He went into as much detail as he could manage, knowing that Harry was the only other person in the room who would truly understand the depth of Ginny's dreams. He stressed that he did not think Tom, as he was referring to the Dark Lord for ease, knew of a connection, or was necessarily even sending the dreams. They had all come true in some sense, and did not seem to be trickery. He ended with the dream Ginny had had on the train today, her reaction, and how he knew she had been taken. He pulled out her wand and laid it on the table in front of them.

Harry stared at that wand, and Draco could tell he was processing, and trying to hold back his anger. "Why didn't she tell us about this if they started over the summer?" he finally settled on asking.

Draco sighed. "She said she was afraid you would assume she was like you, and that she would be kept from helping in the fight against Tom. And at that time, we weren't certain if they would continue. We certainly didn't know how frequent they would become," he admitted.

Luna spoke up at that point. "Ginny knew you were planning something over the summer. She told me about it when we came back to Hogwarts in September. She didn't want you to be distracted," she offered. "She was annoyed, some, by the secrets, but she knew what you were planning was necessary to win this war." Luna smiled at them. Ginny loved her friends, and cared for them. She had known that an extra burden on top of whatever they were planning would only hurt them in the end.

Hermione nodded. "We did kind of ignore her over the summer. The day of the wedding was the only day I really spent with her all summer," she admitted, feeling guilty.

"Enough of that now. What is past is past. We need to focus on a plan for now," Narcissa said after allowing them a moment of reflection. "The sooner we can find her, the better for everyone."

Harry had picked up on the connection between his parents' home in her Halloween dream and today's. "I hadn't told Hermione this, but I have been wanting to go to Godric's Hollow. If Ginny thought the place she had been was very similar to my parents', it would be a very good place to start. And since I've been wanting to visit the cemetery, it wouldn't seem too out of place or random for us especially at this time of year," he admitted.

"We all know I'm a bit odd," Luna said, seemingly off topic. "But we also know I can sense things. I'm not a seer, but I can feel people. Harry, you know this from what I've seen for you before. Ginny has a bit of skill as well, but hers always presents as dreams. I've noticed it more with the war, but she showed it when we played together as children too. She'd dream about a game, or a prank from her brothers, and it would happen the next day. I didn't think it was true for these dreams, or I would have mentioned it earlier…" she drifted off, thinking again and not finishing her explanation.

"You know it'll be some sort of trap, even if she isn't there," Hermione said, still practical. She didn't want them to go in the first place, but if it Ginny could be there they didn't have much of a choice. They all knew she didn't believe in divination, but she never doubted Luna's skill to read people or how everything Luna said seemed to come true, not once she got to know the younger woman. If Ginny had dreamed of Godric's Hollow..."It would do us good to have some spare wands when we go." She looked to Draco and Luna at that, and nodded. "What do we need to do to prepare, and when do we leave?"

Narcissa looked at the clock, and sighed. "It's well past time for supper, and while you may do better going at night, going right now unprepared is not going to do anyone any good. Leaving tomorrow at dusk would give you some time to prepare, and sleep in a real bed for a night," she said, looking at the two young adults sitting on her couch. "And if he hasn't changed his habits, you'll have the easiest time of avoiding the Dark Lord at that time. He prefers to do his work at night, and should have only left a few guards behind," she admitted, recalling when her husband would most often disappear.

Harry and Draco both appeared to disagree. "We need to get to her as soon as possible. She could be tortured as we speak," Draco said before Harry could say anything. He looked to Harry, and Hermione, open and wondering what the pair would do if it were just them.

"A light meal, a nap, and let's go at dawn," Hermione suggested. "Surely he would be off to the Ministry by then? And fewer people would be out at dawn to alert anyone to our presence."

The five people in the room looked at each other. No suggestion was going to be ideal, but if they could avoid Tom outright while getting to Ginny as soon as possible, that would be the best. "Mrs. Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

"Black. It's Narcissa Black," the older woman cut in, though not unkindly.

"Yes, ma'am. Is it likely he would be elsewhere at dawn?" Hermione asked. Harry and she had not done any tracking of his movements or patterns. They had in fact tried to avoid him as much as possible, but Hermione recognized the older witch was a wealth of knowledge.

"He would be very likely to be wherever his current base is, or out planning his next move. He would be unlikely to be in Godric's Hollow at that time of day unless he is using it as a base, which I do not believe he is. The Manor had been prepared for him at the end of last year," she admitted.

Hermione nodded, and then looked around the room to everyone. "Leave at dawn?" she asked. This would only work if they could all agree.

"Dawn," Luna agreed. Draco and Harry followed suit. Hermione turned to Draco's mother. "Is there room for all of us?" she asked. "And I can prepare some food if you can show me the kitchen. Harry and I haven't had much and could likely only take something light anyway."

Narcissa waved her hand at the young witch. "I have food prepared already, as this was supposed to be a somewhat happier occasion. Let's eat in the kitchen and then you can take whatever beds you can find upstairs. There should be more than enough," she offered. She rose to lead them to the kitchen. The meal wasn't exactly light hearted, but Harry and Hermione asked Draco and Luna about Hogwarts and how the Defence class was going, and in turn offered what little they could share of their search. Hermione was careful to observe Narcissa as she let Harry speak freely. Since she knew about the horcrux Hermione had been wearing (and was now safely in her bag, which was wrapped around her wrist), she was wary of what was said. But she also knew that Draco had taken many pains to keep his mother hidden, and would have had his reasons. She hoped they had made the correct decision in coming.

Narcissa, in turn, was watching the young witch. She knew Hermione was a muggle born, but even she had admitted to Draco in private that the girl was brilliant. Narcissa believed in blood purity, but she could not deny that witches like Hermione Granger belonged in their world. She was in a conundrum with herself over it. She knew the witch was smart, and would distrust Narcissa. She couldn't blame Hermione, but she hoped the witch could trust her enough to sleep. They would need it for their venture in the morning.

When Hermione started going through her bag to gauge what supplies they would need, Narcissa stood and reviewed what the young witch listed off. She couldn't help with the dittany, but she quickly offered a few spare healing potions she did happen to have on hand. She asked Hermione if they would need any Dreamless Sleep, but the witch declined, mentioning that Harry hadn't had a dream in quite some time, and she preferred to sleep lightly - just in case. The older witch nodded. She reviewed the list of food items Hermione had left out, and made a note of what she could supply the young woman with in the morning, before sending them up to bed.

Narcissa chose to stay up most of the night, preparing breakfast while at the same time baking some flat bread that Hermione and Harry would be able to carry easily and reheat over a fire for some more substantial meals. She scoured her cupboards for long-lasting food, but only found some beef jerky she hadn't ever eaten - she had assumed Severus had enjoyed it. She felt he would be okay with her giving it to the pair that the fate of the war appeared to rest on. She knew that even with stasis charms, any fruit she sent would get bruised and rotten. She wasn't sure how the pair had been surviving, but if the bread and dried meat could give them something more substantial for at least a little while it would be worth it.

When the four teenagers woke, Narcissa had a light breakfast of porridge and fresh fruit ready, and the few sausages she had allowed were done by the time the last one came down the stairs. They ate quickly, had a second cup of tea at her urging, and Narcissa took the chance to pull Hermione aside and offer her the food she had prepared. "I wish I had more, but the bread is fresh unleavened and should last a while, and the dried meat even longer. I found a few spare bandages and gauze as well. I noticed that cut on your hand had gotten quite dirty," she mentioned. "Keeping it covered would help it heal so you could hold your wand more confidently."

Hermione thanked the woman, and quickly put everything in her bag. They returned to the group, and Draco raised an eyebrow at her, but she just mouthed 'Supplies,' and let him be. As they prepared to apparate away, Draco to take Luna and Harry to take Hermione, she wished them luck. As soon as they were gone, she made certain she had another bed for the young redhead, and when that was in order, she promptly fell asleep on the couch, where she knew she would hear them upon the group's return.

-x-

The group arrived in the Hollow, hopefully unseen. Harry tossed his invisibility cloak at Draco and Luna, who agreed to use it to follow Harry and Hermione to the cemetery. They four walked there and Harry eventually found his parents' grave. Luna and Draco stood back, giving him room. Luna mentioned to Draco that she hadn't visited her mother's grave in quite some time, but might like to do so after seeing Harry's connection to his parents' grave.

Soon after Harry knelt to the ground to speak to his parents, Draco felt they were being watched. He looked around, and noticed an old woman staring at Harry and Hermione. Luna made a bird call, and Harry looked up. He noticed the woman, who was beckoning at them to follow her, though she was silent. Harry asked if she was Bathilda Bagshot, and she nodded. Harry turned to Hermione, raised an eyebrow, and decided to follow. Draco and Luna trailed them, still under the cloak, until they approached a house. Draco had noticed most of the houses in the Hollow were the same. Draco hoped they were in the right place.

Draco was hit by the smell in the house right away, and knew something was very wrong. He hung back, using an arm to stop Luna from moving forward. Harry continued upstairs, following the woman, while Hermione stayed downstairs. As soon as they were alone, Draco pulled off the cloak and handed it to Hermione. "Something isn't right," he whispered. "And why is she so important?"

Hermione sighed. "Bagshot supplied Skeeter with information for the book that witch wrote on Dumbledore. Harry wants the truth," Hermione admitted. She turned, and looked around at the rooms around them. "From the few pictures Harry has from his parents' home, this looks very similar. Do you think we'll find a trapdoor? Something is fishy," she said. The odd feeling to run was prickling her neck, and she wanted to get out of there.

Luna was searching and made her way to the back of the first floor, where she assumed they would find a kitchen. She saw something - not quite a trapdoor, but definitely an oddity in the floor, and called out to the two to come to the back. They rushed in, and she pointed at the floor, but before they could open the trapdoor, the ceiling fell in on the hallway and Harry was calling out to Hermione, "He's coming! His snake is here!"

The snake and Harry both fell through the ceiling. Harry had cast a disarming charm, in hopes of blasting the snake away with the first spell that came to mind, but as he fell, it hit Draco instead. Harry caught the blonde's wand, but quickly tossed it back so he could help fight the snake. The snake lunged at Harry again, and Hermione used a blasting curse to move the snake out of the way. It caught Harry's wand hand and ripped his wand out of his hand, splitting it nearly in two. He quickly slipped it into his sleeve, hoping it could be repaired, but knowing he was out of commission. He ran across the room so he was behind Hermione, and called out to her that they needed to leave. Tom was coming. Hermione used another blasting curse against the snake and it flew out the window. Harry grabbed her and she apparated them away, but he saw Luna open the oddity in the floor before they disappeared.

Draco peered down, and saw a bed. He gulped, but tried to keep his composure when he saw a redheaded girl curled up on herself, wearing nothing but her shirt. It was long enough to cover everything, but he had a sinking feeling in his stomach as he jumped down and pulled Luna after him. They would have to apparate away quickly and he didn't want to have to carry the redhead out of the room to get to Luna.

"Ginny," he called out; he noticed she was shivering. He approached her, wanting to be slow but knowing they would shortly be out of time. "Ginny, love, we need to get you out of here," he said, slowly, as he sat down on the bed. He could see blood stains on the sleeves of the shirt, and he started to worry. She also had some fresh cuts on her legs in patterns he feared he recognized. "Love, I'll carry you, I just need you to turn towards me," he called. "We need to leave quickly, Ginny," he begged. She didn't budge.

Luna sat down next to Draco and tried. "Ginny, we can take you somewhere safe. Somewhere hidden. We can get you help. Draco only wants to help you, love, he's hurting seeing you hurt," she said gently, and at hearing the young woman's voice, Ginny moved. It looked as if she were trying to turn, but couldn't.

"Help me," she managed to get out. A crash could be heard from above, and Ginny flinched.

Draco picked her up and Luna placed a hand on his arm. "Mother and Luna will do everything they can, love," he assured, even as his friend tensed at his touch and shivered harder. He apparated away as a shadow loomed over the trapdoor.

-x-

Luna and Draco were waiting on Narcissa, who was upstairs with Ginny. Luna had received a message on her coin shortly after they returned. 'Safe?' it had read. Luna replied back with two words, 'Safe. Home.' They hadn't heard anything more, but Draco didn't expect to. The pair had to continue with their hunt, and while he knew they cared and would come back if they could, Draco had a niggling feeling that Hermione would be working to remove the incriminating memories of the location from their minds. They would remember the conversation and what they had done, but nothing of the location. If she could do similar work to her parents, as he knew she had, she wouldn't hesitate to do so for this knowing Ginny was here.

The young witch waiting with him stood, and moved to go up the stairs. "She changed the word on my bracelet. She's awake," Luna explained, and Draco quickly followed her. Luna knocked on the door lightly. Narcissa opened it and exited, holding up a hand to pause any immediate comments.

"I just want to warn you before you go in," she said. "Draco, it is as you believed when you explained to me about her seeming to be afraid of you. Someone was very rough with her, and enjoyed knife play." She raised an eyebrow at her son, and shook her head for him to keep quiet. "She is no longer an innocent, and from what little she told me, Tom expects her to bear him an heir. She signed a magical binding contract swearing not to harm any offspring, though she was tricked into it," she explained. Draco closed his eyes, and Luna gasped.

"May I see her?" Luna asked. Narcissa nodded and let her in, but looked at Draco.

"It was him, wasn't it?" Draco asked. He couldn't look his mother in the face. His gaze was instead focused on her always-covered arms, and wondering if Ginny would have scars like his mother.

Narcissa nodded. "I believe so. I don't think she knows for certain, but she noticed the scars when I rolled up my sleeves to work on hers. She recognized the pattern as similar to what I was trying to heal away. He didn't have the right kind of blade; she won't scar as heavily as me. He did seem particularly aggressive over the scars already on her arms." She raised an eyebrow in question, but didn't push for an answer.

Draco wanted to scream, but knew it wouldn't help anyone. "Lucius belongs in hell," he said vehemently. He tried to calm down, and when he thought he could handle it, he asked his mother's honest opinion. "Do you think she'll even want to see me again?"

"She was asking for you," his mother replied. "But I felt you needed to know, just in case she has any more involuntary reaction," she explained. She motioned towards the door. "Draco, she probably will. She's strong, though. I...I'll be right outside if you need me."

Draco slowly opened the door and slipped inside, Luna was sitting on the bed with Ginny, holding her friend and petting her hair as they spoke. Luna motioned for Draco to come closer when she noticed him, and pulled Ginny closer as the young woman started to tense. "I'm right here, and Narcissa is just out in the hall," Luna was saying to the girl. "No one can find us here. Harry and Hermione are safe," she continued, squeezing Ginny as she mentioned Harry. "And Draco would die before he chose to hurt you. His aura just wants to protect you," Luna said as she continued to stroke Ginny's hair.

Ginny shuddered, but she looked at Draco and tried to smile. It came out as more of a grimace, and Draco decided it would be best if he stayed at the foot of the bed. He chose to sit on top of the trunk at the foot, where he couldn't reach her and where she could see him in practically full view. "Hi," he managed.

Luna looked at him while she continued to hold the girl. "Ginny thinks I need to go home to my father. But I told her that Daddy would understand that I'm needed here until she can be comfortable around you again," Luna told him.

"Your father will be worried that you never came home," Ginny rasped out.

Luna smiled at her friend, though she couldn't see it. "Love, you know Daddy doesn't know today from three weeks ago. Besides, I changed my charm that belongs to him so he'll know I'm safe, with friends," she explained.

"Luna," Ginny tried again. "Family is more important."

Luna sighed. "You are my family, silly. Friends are just as much family as blood," she said.

This time, Ginny sighed. "Your father needs you, Luna. You told me that yourself. I...I will be okay," she tried. She knew she was pushing away one of her best friends, but she also knew that at times like these, family was the most important. Luna's father did need her, and Ginny wanted her friend to take care of the only blood relation she had left.

"Ginny," Draco said, noticing a slight flinch at hearing his voice. "Luna is correct. I don't want to hurt you, but I can't help you like she can."

The redhead looked at him for a minute, scanning her eyes up and down his body and all over his face. "You and I," she said, pausing. "We will be okay." She looked down at her hands, and she whispered, more to herself, as if to reassure herself. "You aren't him. And you aren't Tom."

The three sat quietly, Luna continuing to stroke Ginny's hair, and Draco trying to think of everything but what Ginny had just confirmed. Narcissa came in, carrying a tray of tea. Draco hoped she had remembered that Ginny preferred peppermint. His mother set down the tray, and Draco rose to help her distribute. He approached the bed slowly, carrying a cup of tea in each hand. Draco gave one cup to Luna, and held out the other for Ginny. She took it, and he was careful not to touch her fingers. He returned to the table to take his own cup, and chose to sit back on the trunk at the foot of the bed while his mother moved to the chair next to Ginny.

There was something about peppermint tea that caused Ginny to want to talk about what was bothering her. It had been this way when she was a child, and as much as she did not want to talk tonight, it was the same way. About halfway through her cup, she started to speak. She told of what Tom had told her about wanting her heir, because she was the first girl in many generations and therefore had powerful magic she could pass to an heir. She spoke of crying, until she fell asleep. She spoke of waking to pain in her legs, and noticing she was bound to the bed. Someone had cut her arms deep enough to wake her, though she found she had been dosed with something to make her agreeable to everything at that point. She suspected a love potion. It was then that she had signed the contract Narcissa had mentioned earlier, before she was stunned into unconsciousness again.

Ginny paused, and finished her tea. She didn't know why, but she felt like she needed the strength of Draco's hand. She looked at him, and pointed to the space next to the bed. There was a second chair there, and she thought she could reach his hand from there. Draco moved, slowly, and sat in the chair. When she extended her right hand towards him, he took it gently, not knowing what to expect. She squeezed his hand and held it as she continued.

She told them of how she had been woken the next time to more intense pain in her legs. She told them of how her arms had followed her legs this time, and she openly stared at Narcissa, unable to stop herself as she spoke of the pain, her screams, and how it only seemed to push the unnamed death eater even further. She explained that she knew what was to come, and knew she couldn't prepare herself. It was ripped from her before knew what was happening. The man laughed the more she screamed in pain, until she finally understood that the more she screamed, the worse it would be. She fought her mind to be quiet, and finally settled on biting her tongue instead. Her fingernails cut into her palms, and she begged to Merlin for it to stop. She didn't know how long it was, but she must have passed out, because the next thing she remembered was waking up, curled in on herself and Luna and Draco, apparently, opening the door. She thought that if she didn't move, they would leave her alone for a while longer. She hadn't known it was them until Luna spoke up. There had been no women in the group, and it was Luna's voice that had convinced her in her haze they weren't Death Eaters come back for her.

Ginny's hand squeezed Draco's more as the story progressed, until he was certain she was trying to break his hand. But he would take whatever she had to give, to pay for his father's actions. She soon realized he was crushing his hand, and loosened her grip but didn't let go. "You. Aren't. Him," she said slowly when she realized what she was doing, giving each word emphasis, to remind herself as much as Draco.

Luna hugged her friend closer, and rocked her until Ginny was calm. She murmured to her, nonsense words and lullabies, until Ginny begged Luna to at least go visit her father. Luna, knowing Ginny was stubborn and wouldn't drop it, said she would go to her father tonight once Ginny was safely asleep, but that Ginny was to use her bracelet if she needed anything. Ginny agreed, part of her mind able to be at ease that she wasn't keeping a family apart as the holidays neared. She fell asleep a short time later.

Luna rose from the bed and helped settle Ginny in a more comfortable sleeping position, while Narcissa found a dreamless sleep potion and set it next to the bed. It was only early afternoon, but she was certain the young girl would need a dose when she woke in order to get some peaceful sleep that evening. Draco, at a loss as to what to do, cleared the teacups and took the tray back to the kitchen. His mother and Luna soon joined him.

"I'm worried about leaving," Luna admitted. "She may close in on herself, like after Tom."

Draco nodded, and Narcissa looked between the two. "I'll ensure she at least gets out of bed every day, even if only for meals. We can do our best to keep her entertained," the older witch stated. "And I'll talk to her, woman to woman, as often as she needs," she continued. Ginny and she had more in common than she would like to admit to the observant blond witch in front of her.

Luna looked at Narcissa carefully, taking in the truth of her statement. "I know you will. Your soul is reaching for hers," she said out of the blue. The girl then smiled, back to her cheery disposition. "Draco, could you apparate me home?" she asked. She couldn't legally apparate for another few months, and she didn't want to bring the Ministry down on her home. Draco nodded, and as soon as Luna had gathered her things from the living room, she gave Narcissa a long hug, and turned to offer Draco her arm.

Narcissa hoped the girl's faith in her and Draco wouldn't prove to be misplaced. Narcissa hadn't felt whole herself since before Draco's birth.

-x-

The first week Ginny spent with Draco and Narcissa, she felt as if they were all walking around on ice. She had wanted to push the memories to the back of her mind, put them into a box, and forget about it, much as she had tried with her experience with Tom and the Chamber of Secrets. But after two nights of nightmares and waking up screaming and scrambling for a knife (one Narcissa had quickly but silently removed from her reach when Ginny dropped it in fear upon seeing her arms), she knew it wasn't going to work any better this time around than it had when she was eleven. It was worse, this time, because she knew she was hurting her friend for something he didn't do. But she couldn't get her mind around it. She saw how every flinch she made hurt Draco more, but she was afraid.

Draco was avoiding her, even though it was hard to do in the small home. She had set up a chess board by the fire in the living area, but it sat unused. She couldn't stand to read any of her defence books just yet - they hadn't helped her when she had been trapped on the train, and she thought her classmates would think her a failure and unworthy to be leading the group if they learned of it. She would have to inform the Headmistress when they returned to Hogwarts...if she made it back. She knew that Tom was furious, she had seen it in her dream the previous night, one where she woke screaming yet again, needing the comfort Draco had always provided, but afraid to let him touch her. Still, she felt it helped to have him sit near her while Narcissa held her gently.

She joined Narcissa for tea every day that week, but it took her until Thursday to ask the woman anything personal. It was slightly ridiculous, seeing as the woman had seen her naked, and treated her wounds, healed the cuts Ginny knew she recognized and hadn't mentioned the older scars, and had even helped apply a balm to her bruised nether region. If she could trust a woman on personal matters, it was this woman. But she was afraid, and she didn't know what to say, so they had kept to neutral topics until Ginny found herself asking a very personal and inappropriate question. "Was Draco planned?" she found herself asking. She quickly turned bright red when she realized what had left her lips, and she hid her face while she apologized profusely, stating she would pack up her things and leave immediately, even though logically she knew she had nowhere to go. Luna's would have been an option but she hadn't heard from her friend all week (another worry).

But instead of the cold, emotionless face she expected, Ginny found herself enveloped in a giant hug. Narcissa knew how much hurt was in that question, for the both of them, and knew how much Ginny needed to hear that it could be okay. She knew some of the young woman's struggles with acceptance, and knew Ginny feared her family would turn against her if they knew. Narcissa knew that Ginny needed to hear that even though she knew what Tom wanted and had all but ensured it would happen, that she could be okay, would be supported, and she could survive the outcome. And, to some degree, she needed to know how to completely trust Draco again.

"Draco wasn't planned," Narcissa told the young girl as she held her close. She guided the girl to a couch, rather than the table they had been sitting at. "Draco's father is a very good manipulator. He knew exactly what to say while we were dating and what to say to my family. He also knew how far he could push before I would finally snap and leave. Or he used to," she started to explain.

She explained to the girl how Lucius hadn't ever planned on children, and how she hadn't wanted to bring any into the world once she really knew how Lucius would be. It was a few weeks after a particularly rough night that she had realized she was pregnant. She hadn't been sure of what to do. Lucius would be no father to the boy, she was certain, but she hadn't had the skill to brew the delicate poison she would need. She had gone to Severus, but he hadn't been willing to brew the poison for her either, even knowing how Lucius was towards those he only wished to control. Instead, he offered to be godfather to the child, and to swear to protect the child under oath if Narcissa required. She had agreed, but feared it would be null when she finally had to tell Lucius.

Lucius had let her keep the child, and she worried through the entire pregnancy. When Draco was born, with his father's eyes and hair, she silently wept. She hadn't known how to love a child who already seemed to reflect the man he could turn into if she couldn't keep him protected. She explained how every smile the baby gave, how his giggles, how is soft demeanor through his toddler years taught her to love him. That he was inherently good and just needed a guiding hand to keep him on the right path.

Ginny cried. She had seen Narcissa's scars, and she felt she had known what they meant. But to hear the older woman admit that she had at first struggled because of his resemblance to his father, that had actually made her feel a little better. She knew that Draco was not his father, but she was afraid. If she was honest with herself, it wasn't actually Draco. She wasn't comfortable discussing Harry, or Neville, or any of her male friends. She was afraid of what had happened to her, and she didn't know how to overcome that fear. She asked Narcissa how she had overcome it, how she had been able to be so comfortable around males.

"I started with someone I knew I could trust, and spent more time with him until I was comfortable," she said. "It was a slow process since I didn't get out of the house much. Lucius was the only other person in the Manor regularly for years. I do think it could be easier for you," she said, as she gazed up at the ceiling, in the direction of Draco's room.

Ginny nodded. With Narcissa here, especially, she knew she could trust Draco. She had already known that. She didn't know how to explain to him why she was acting this way, though. "I think I've hurt his feelings, and broken his trust in me," she whispered as she pulled her knees towards her chest.

Narcissa rested a hand on her back, comforting her as best she could. "I'll talk to him, Ginny," she reassured her. "I think he's more confused as to why he is hurt over it, not your reaction. He's never really been allowed to feel concern for anyone, other than perhaps myself."

-x-

Ginny woke up when she heard someone calling her name. She was confused; the last thing she remembered was Narcissa walking up the stairs towards Draco's room. She found she was curled up in a ball and lying on her side on the same couch she had been sitting on earlier when she and Narcissa took tea. She supposed the discussion had taken more out of her than she thought. The red head sat up slowly, looking around to see who was calling her and noticing Draco was leaning against the doorframe.

"Mother has supper ready," he said. "She wasn't certain if you would feel up to eating or not," he explained.

She stood and stretched, her back popping as she did, and she blushed a bit as it had been quite loud in the quiet room. "I think food is exactly what I need right now," she responded softly. She walked towards Draco, reminding herself that he was her friend and she could trust him. He motioned for her to go ahead of him, but she wasn't quite that trusting yet, so she grabbed his wrist instead and pulled him into place beside her. She felt better being able to see him out of the corner of her eye. "Do you maybe want to play a game of chess after supper? It's okay if you don't," she asked, then quickly back peddled.

Draco took her hand and gently squeezed it. "I would love to beat you in a game of chess," he teased.

"Oh, you think you can win, do you?" she teased back, falling on a comfortable conversation they often had before an evening of chess. "Well, we'll just see about that," she said as they entered the kitchen.

"See about what?" Narcissa asked as she poured three glasses of warm pumpkin juice.

"Draco thinks he can beat me in a game of chess," Ginny said, a bit shyly. She wasn't used to teasing in front of the older witch, yet.

"Unfortunately, we're at a tie in number of games won between us," Draco added, smiling. "So it could really go either way."

Narcissa smiled, pleased that Ginny seemed to be able to focus on one piece of normalcy right now. "Well, I've been meaning to spend some time in the living room, organizing so we can set up a Christmas tree. You two can enjoy your game while I reorganize," she said as they sat down to enjoy the stew Narcissa had started that morning. She wanted to be nearby, just in case Ginny needed anything. But she had the ulterior motive of wanting to watch her son's friendship with this young girl blossom.

After a quick meal, and even quicker clean up thanks to the few waves of a wand, the three retired to the living room for the evening, a sense of peace falling over the house for the first time all week.

-x-

The two weeks leading up to the traditional Solstice allowed Ginny to slowly learn what her new normal was to be. She and Draco worked on their friendship, though Ginny soon tired of Draco trying to treat her as if she were made of glass. She understood why he did so, but she was frustrated and wanted to feel normal again, even if that meant she might sometimes be afraid for no reason. Draco was all she had at that time that was close to her sense of normal, so one day she finally got angry and yelled at him.

Her eyes widened and she went completely white when she realized that she had actually yelled at Draco. She thought she was going to be sick - she had probably just damaged their friendship beyond repair. She tried to apologize, but barely got an apology out before she ran out of the room and upstairs to her room. Narcissa entered the living room where she had left the teens, just in time to hear Ginny's door slam shut. "What happened?" she asked her son.

Draco ran his hand through his hair. "Apparently I'm treating her like a porcelain doll. But I'm afraid I might hurt her, mother," he explained, having taken in Ginny's words but unsure of how he should act even after hearing her arguments.

"She is trying to figure out how to be normal again. She wants you to treat her like nothing has changed," his mother responded.

"But it has changed," Draco said.

Narcissa nodded. "Yes, you have both changed because of this. But if Ginny wants your friendship to be normal, like it was before, you'll both need to work on it. She might get angry over some things, and you might too. That's okay. That's part of any friendship," his mother tried to explain to him. She knew that actual friendship was new to him, and he needed reassurance that he could act normal in this situation.

The older witch turned to look at the Christmas tree they had decorated just days ago. It was a happy tree, perhaps the first one since her time at Hogwarts. Ginny had asked to transfigure a few odds and ends into ornaments that reminded her of home, and Narcissa had happily agreed. The ones Ginny had made were tasteful, but gave the tree a spark of life that the Malfoy trees had always missed. "We're all learning to adapt to a new normal, this year," she spoke out loud, to no one in particular but catching Draco's attention.

He nodded, turning to gaze at the tree as well. He had been happy with the additions, and had snuck a few of his own on the tree. It had been a fun, normal afternoon. He guessed that was more of what Ginny needed - he just didn't know how to act when he noticed her hesitation or notice her flinch at something. If his mother was correct, he needed to learn to accept that as perhaps a part of their new normal. He could do that, he knew. It was something he could box up and put behind a wall in his mind.

About an hour later, while Draco was reading one of Ginny's defensive theory books and Narcissa was caught up in an arithmancy text, Ginny ran down the stairs, tears running down her face. Draco looked up and as soon as he saw the tears, he stood and went over the where Ginny was standing, staring into the room as if seeing everything and nothing at once. He pulled her into a hug without even thinking about it, and the girl collapsed against him. He turned his head to look at his mother, and saw her pointing at the couch. He picked up Ginny, surprised when she clung tighter, and he walked her over to the couch. He tried to let her go when he laid her down, but she clung to his shirt, so he maneuvered her into a position where he could sit next to her.

"He's looking for me. He needs me for the Solstice," she cried out. "He's angry that he hasn't been able to find me. He knows I must be somewhere secret kept. He wants to hunt down anyone who might know where I'll be...what about my family?" she continued. "I didn't even stop to think of the danger they could be in if he thought they knew where I was hiding!" she cried even harder at that.

Narcissa was listening as she quickly prepared tea, the peppermint that the young girl enjoyed so much. When it was ready and Ginny seemed to be finished speaking, for now, she pushed a mug into the girl's hand and guided it to her mouth, to help her drink and begin to calm down. Draco was unconsciously rubbing small circles across Ginny's back to try to calm her, and between the two of them, Ginny started to calm. Her crying lessened, until only a few tears were leaking out of her eyes, and she slowly released her grip on Draco's shirt.

"Your parents will be safe," Narcissa said quietly. "I'm certain the Headmistress has prepared them well for every possibility, especially as Mister Potter was a frequent visitor. This additional reason will not alter their preparations; it will just keep them more alert."

"Do they even know?" Ginny asked. She knew she shouldn't contact them, so she hadn't tried.

Narcissa sighed. "There was a short article in the Prophet the day after you were rescued, mentioning a Weasley had escaped and that a reward was being offered for information. Shortly after, the Headmistress contacted me to ask if it was true. When I confirmed you had been kidnapped but had returned safely and you were being cared for, I'm sure she contacted your parents in whatever way she felt was safest, considering," she admitted. She hadn't wanted to worry the girl at the time.

Ginny stared at her tea. "You didn't tell them anything more than I had been kidnapped?" she asked carefully.

"No. That is for you to tell if and when you wish," Narcissa confirmed.

The girl breathed in a deep and shuddering breath before slowly releasing it. "He can't find me here? What about what Luna knows? We haven't been able to reach her since she left!" She knew it wasn't for lack of trying, and in fact Narcissa has insisted she stopped trying, for safety, and had notified the Headmistress so her contacts could look into it.

Draco shook his head, even though she couldn't see it. "No. The secret is safe. Luna asked me to oblivate her memories when I returned her to her father. She had written down the details she needed, but didn't want to remember anything about the location. I trust Harry and Hermione did something similar," he confirmed.

She leaned in towards Narcissa at that, with a whispered, "I'm so very sorry."

"You've nothing to be sorry for, love," Narcissa whispered back. "He is a madman, and you did nothing wrong. It is not your fault." It was something she had been repeating to Ginny often.

The three stayed on the couch most of the afternoon and evening, discussing what traditions they wanted to try for Christmas. Ginny hadn't felt very hungry and declined supper, instead continuing to drink the peppermint tea that was holding her stomach at bay. The thought of Christmas food was making her queasy, and as Narcissa seemed to catch on when Draco couldn't, she quickly changed the subject to gifts and other traditions of the day.

By the end of the evening, Ginny was almost feeling normal. She gave both Narcissa and Draco a hug before she went up to bed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _Another chapter with mentions of rape – following up on the previous chapter a bit. Again, make sure you're in a safe spot before you begin reading!_

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

On Christmas morning Ginny woke up early, her stomach rolling. She sighed. This was the fourth day in a row she had woken early with an upset stomach. Ever since her dream about Tom on the eve of the Solstice, she had just felt off. She hadn't told Draco, though she wasn't sure if he noticed she had been taking her morning a bit more easily. If today was like the other mornings, she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, so she got up. It was only five in the morning, but that was a somewhat normal time to be up on Christmas morning, at least in her family.

After a shower, Ginny dressed and slowly made her way down the stairs to the kitchen. She had nearly fallen down the stairs yesterday, and she didn't want to risk a repeat. She was surprised to find Narcissa in the kitchen sitting with a cup of tea already waiting for Ginny. "Good morning," Ginny said with a small smile. She lifted the cup to her nose and inhaled. Her eyes widened as she turned to look at Narcissa full on. It was peppermint, even though it was early in the morning. Ginny hadn't told anyone she had been drinking peppermint in the morning.

"Ginger is good for an unsettled stomach too," Narcissa offered as she waved at Ginny to drink the tea. "If you tire of peppermint easily, or would like to try something else. You'll likely get tired of it eventually if it's all you drink," the older witch explained, gazing over Ginny. She had been watching the young girl carefully all month, waiting, and hoping she would be lucky. But Narcissa's instincts had kicked in. Had Ginny's?

"I'm sure it's just a touch of a cold," Ginny said. "I'll be fine in a few days."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow, reminding Ginny of Professor Snape. "Are you certain?" she asked, trying to figure out how much the young witch had thought it through. They both knew what the purpose of her kidnapping had been especially with the forced contract, but Narcissa wasn't certain Ginny had allowed herself to consider it.

"No," Ginny sighed. "But I also don't want to spoil Christmas. And I don't want Draco to know. He and I are on decent terms, but I'm not sure what he would do if...There may not be anything to know, anyway," she whispered. She had thought of it. She was overdue, and she knew there was a very strong possibility she had been dosed with something when she was unconscious the second time - or he had taken something before. When Tom wanted something, he usually got it. But she hadn't wanted to think of it. Just thinking about it made her hands twitch to her arms, and one started to scratch at the minor scars.

Narcissa nodded, though she reached over to guide Ginny's hand from her arm. "And if this keeps up through Saturday? This has been happening all week" she prompted.

"I'd only really trust Madame Pomfrey at this point. He holds the Ministry, so he likely holds St. Mungo's as well," Ginny relented.

"We can make an early return," Narcissa said, pleased with Ginny's foresight. "I informed Draco last night that I will be returning to Hogwarts with you. It's why I've been in contact with the Headmistress. The pawns must be drawn closer, even as we are scattered," she said vaguely. Ginny appreciated the chess reference, even if she wasn't informed of the plans.

After a few moments of silence, both lost in thought, the two women turned to happier topics as they waited for Draco to come down. They didn't have to wait long before they heard a door close and a dressed Draco made his way to the kitchen. "Happy Christmas," he wished them both before perusing the kitchen for a cup of tea. Narcissa had just started a pot steeping, and Ginny took the first cup, a weaker brew, and left the rest to the mother and son.

"Is it time for presents?" she asked, excited. Though she expected very little and hadn't been able to buy either of her hosts a present, she couldn't help the bubble of excitement that Christmas brought. It reminded her of a simpler time, and she wanted to enjoy that.

"Why not?" Draco said, grinning.

Ginny jumped up, smiling, and rushed down the hall to the tree. She paused for a moment when she got there, breathing deep to keep her stomach calm, but quickly fixed a smile in place before Draco could walk in. She noticed the pile of presents was slightly larger than she had expected, with some wrapping that looked suspiciously like her mother's.

She sat down next to the tree, assuming the role she had always had in her family - the distributor of gifts. She soon sorted through the pile, surprised when there were multiple gifts from her mother for all three of them. She knew what the soft, lumpy one was, and when all the presents had been handed out, she tore into that one first. In hers was a forest green sweater with a seafoam green G on the front. It was a traditional Weasley sweater, though in colors she hadn't received before.

Draco had quickly opened his similar gift when he saw Ginny tearing into hers, and pulled out a dark grey sweater. Narcissa had a slightly smaller soft and lumpy gift, and she found a scarf and a pair of mittens in hers, in Ravenclaw blue. Ginny smiled. Her mother had to have been working very hard to get the extra knitting done in time. She opened the other gift from her mother, which turned out to be a charm for the bracelet Luna had given her. Ginny wasn't sure how her mother knew of the bracelet, but she quickly added it. It was a small clock face, reminding Ginny of the special clock her mother often watched to ensure everyone was okay.

Her presents from Draco and Narcissa were small, but perfect. Draco had also given her a charm for her bracelet - a snitch. "I asked Luna what you would like most, and she said you always toyed with that bracelet," he explained when she looked at him. "She spelled a piece of metal with a protean charm like hers, and I had both of those new charms made from it. The Headmistress managed to get it half of the piece of metal Luna spelled to your mother, the same way she returned the presents to us I suppose," he continued.

Ginny's eyes welled up that that. She quickly tried her mother's charm, and only moments later she had a response. She finally knew her mother was safe, and she could contact her if she needed to. A watery smile was all she could manage as thanks. She opened Narcissa's gift as she struggled to control her tears. She wiped at her eyes quite roughly as she cleared them to read the note that was Narcissa's gift. She read through the short note, and reread it before looking up at Narcissa. "Thank you," she managed. She hoped she did not have to accept Narcissa's offer of assistance for the next year, but she knew how much the older witch was giving her just by offering.

She finished wiping away her tears, before motioning for other two to open the gifts she had managed to create for them. She did not think they were as lovely as what she had received, but she was excited to see them open the gifts in any case. For Draco, Ginny had taken one of the clear ornaments from the tree and worked some tricky transfiguration of the snowflakes inside. The bauble now held a scene of a pair huddled around a chessboard, sitting next to a rosy fire. One of the figures had blond hair; the other had long red hair. She had struggled with the final touch: the remaining snow she had transfigured to say 'Friends' in gold, similar to that of Luna's artwork. She watched his face carefully as he went over every detail, and she sighed, pleased, when she saw the smile break out over his face.

Ginny then turned to Narcissa to see what the older woman thought of her gift. Ginny had struggled even more with this one, as she wasn't sure how the witch would react to it. She had decided to gift the woman with a pair of long, fingerless gloves. The part that extended beyond the wrist and up past the elbow was nude, in the skin tone she thought would match Narcissa's best. The palm, hand, and wrist were similar to the fingerless lace gloves so many women chose to wear when performing tricky wand work that required a tight grip on the wand. The palm provided the grip while the visible portion looked very fashionable. "So you don't always have to wear heavy jackets to cover your arms," Ginny explained, dipping her head a bit but still able to see Narcissa's reaction. "I thought it would be easier than a spell."

The older woman looked down at the material, and she knew it had been charmed as well. It was cool to the touch, and she was certain it would stay cool in the summer months, when she most loathed coats. It was a thoughtful gift, and Narcissa was again pleased by the young witch's insight and intuition. "Thank you, Ginny," she said, with more kindness in her voice than Ginny was expecting.

When the rest of the gifts were opened, and the paper vanished, the three returned to the kitchen for a light breakfast. A larger meal would be served in the middle of the afternoon, but until then, the three had planned to enjoy a few games of Exploding Snap, chess, and each other's company. It was a pleasant way to spend Christmas, Ginny thought, if she couldn't be with her parents in person. She kept fiddling with the two new charms on her bracelet and smiling. She hoped her parents were enjoying their holiday, and that everyone was safe. She hoped Harry and Hermione were okay, that Luna and her father were busily writing (explaining Luna's radio silence), and that everyone who had had to stay at Hogwarts were having fun in the snow and preparing to enjoy the feast she had always heard was amazing.

Their own afternoon meal was impressive to Ginny. She hadn't eaten much, certainly not as much as she would have in past years, but she was able to enjoy a little bit of her favorite dishes. They had even had crackers to share, and Ginny's contained a tiara and a travel-sized wizard chess set in Christmas colors. She grinned and quickly put on the tiara. Draco indulged her and put on the bright purple top hat that had been in his cracker, and they spent the rest of the evening playing with the various games from the crackers before retiring to bed early.

-x-

Ginny's promise to Narcissa came soon all too quickly. In fact, Ginny had only made it to the following morning, when Narcissa found her dry heaving into the toilet at six. Ginny didn't mention she had been there for half an hour already - the witch seemed to know. She stayed with the young witch until the heaving stopped, then helped her to wash her face and dress in some comfortable clothes. She helped Ginny down the stairs, catching her once as she nearly tripped, and set her down firmly in a chair with a cup of ginger tea. "As soon as Draco wakes and can be ready to return, we are going back to Hogwarts," the older witch told Ginny. The redhead only nodded, knowing she couldn't ignore it any longer.

Draco was up a short while later, and Narcissa went upstairs to ask him to quickly pack his trunk and bring it downstairs. She packed Ginny's and hers as well while Draco prepared for the day, and soon there were three trunks waiting in the entrance. Draco had rushed through his routine when his mother had said that Ginny wasn't well and needed to see Madame Pomfrey, and they were ready to leave by seven that morning.

Narcissa shrunk the trunks and put them in the pocket of Draco's jacket. "Draco," she said as she handed him his jacket before turning to help Ginny into hers. "When we arrive at Hogwarts, I want you to go to the Headmistress' office and let her know we've arrived and I've taken Ginny to the Hospital Wing. You can come up after that," she said firmly. It would give Ginny some time before he would arrive. Draco nodded, though he looked upset. "She'll be just fine, Draco."

With that, Ginny stood and grabbed Draco's hand, in preparation to apparate. "Madame Pomfrey will know what to do," she reassured him. Narcissa touched both of their shoulders, and quickly apparated them to the front gates of Hogwarts. When they arrived, Ginny was very glad to see Hagrid was waiting for them. She didn't stop to think of how he knew; she just wanted to get out of the cold as quickly as she could. She gave a weak smile and said her hellos to the half-giant, waving as Narcissa quickly walked her up towards the castle.

The time sitting down and the tea had seemed to help her stomach, but the apparition had put her back out of sorts. She pulled on Narcissa's arm so she could stop just outside of the castle to bend over and heave again, but it quickly passed. Once they were in the castle, Narcissa slowed her pace and they made their way to the Hospital Wing while she spoke to Ginny about the various paintings, and asking questions about specific ones she remembered from her time as a student. Ginny figured it was a distraction tactic, but she was grateful.

"Madame Pomfrey?" Ginny called out when they finally entered the Hospital Wing. The matron was out of her office a moment later, and rushed towards Ginny as the girl chose to sit on a bed close to the door. She gripped Narcissa's hand, and, opening her mouth but not knowing what to say, nothing came out. She was grateful when the older witch spoke for her.

"The Headmistress informed you of Miss Weasley's kidnapping earlier this month?" Narcissa asked, kindly. When the matron nodded, she went on. "I was able to heal the knife wounds she received, but I am not proficient in performing pregnancy tests," she said, carefully. The matron's eyes widened at that, and then softened as she looked over the girl sitting on the bed. She had not expected the war to come to that, and to someone so young…

"Miss Weasley, can you lie back?" she asked. Her patient nodded, and she reclined on the bed, though she did not let go of the older woman's hand. The matron was grateful the spell was simple, and she would have a result in moments. She explained it to the girl before she performed it. "This spell is very simple. It does no damage, though it can indicate if there is damage. A yellow glow indicates an empty womb. A pink glow indicates a female foetus, and a blue glow indicates a male foetus. A bit more advanced than the spells we had a decade ago," the matron said, directing the last comment towards the older woman who would have been familiar with the spell.

Poppy gave the young girl a moment to prepare. When she looked ready, the matron raised her wand and silently cast the spell. The first result indicated some damage that was healing. She had been expecting that but it still hurt her heart for the young girl. The second result was a blue glow, and though she wanted to gasp, the matron held her composure. The girl lying back on the bed started to cry, but did not look surprised. She turned to look up between the two witches standing on either side of her. "What do I do now?" she whispered.

The matron looked at the girl, uncertain as to the witch's feelings on such situations. "You have two options," she began, but the girl shook her head.

"I can't, not without losing my magic. I...I signed a binding contract while under the influence of some potion. He wants an heir," Ginny whispered. She was ashamed to admit the truth to her mentor; ashamed she wasn't strong enough to fight whatever they had dosed her with. She turned to look at Narcissa. "I think I have to take you up on your second offer," she said, referring to the letter from Christmas.

"In that case, I believe Madame Pomfrey can provide you with a vitamin potion and something to help with the sickness, that you would take every morning," the older witch told her girl she was going to be mothering and mentoring for the next year. She looked towards the matron for confirmation.

"The potion is easy enough to brew and it only takes one extra ingredient in the vitamin potion to help with morning sickness," Poppy said. "I have a bottle that will last you for a few days, but then we'll need to find someone who can brew it for you regularly," she said. She walked off towards the medicine cabinet where all of her potions and supplies for the females were kept. Ginny took the opportunity to sit up and wipe her face. She knew Draco would be arriving any moment, and she didn't want to look any messier than she was certain she already did. She took the potion when Madame Pomfrey returned and handed her a bottle. "Five drops into a glass of water is the dose you'll need to take for now. We'll adjust it as needed as you start to grow," the matron explained. She sighed, but she needed to confirm the conception date.

"Do you know when?" she gently asked.

"November thirtieth or December first. I don't know what time in the night it was," Ginny said, trying to detach herself from the memories of that night. She knew she needed to talk that through with Poppy, but not now. She was already nearly a month along. If what her mother had told her would follow for Ginny herself, she would be starting to show by Easter. She would have to figure out how to hide herself when it started getting warmer. But she would think on that then. She needed to figure out how she would get through classes now.

The Headmistress and Draco entered the Hospital Wing at that point, and Ginny immediately looked to Draco. She knew she had to tell the Headmistress, but she had hoped to tell Draco privately. She didn't want to try to explain twice, though, so instead she motioned for Draco to come sit next to her on the bed. When he was settled, she leaned against him and guided one of his arms to wrap around her shoulders. It felt oddly safe.

She could feel both the Headmistress and Draco looking at the bottle in her hand. Ginny was fairly certain Draco hadn't seen this potion before since she hadn't, but she caught the look of recognition on the Headmistress' face. "There was more to the kidnapping than I know of, wasn't there?" the Headmistress asked sadly. Ginny nodded, before starting her story.

"I was held in a cellar in a home in Godric's Hollow. Tom informed me shortly after I arrived that I was to bear him an heir, one that would give him access to my strong magic as the only female in a long line of males. When he left, locking me in that cellar, I allowed myself to cry until I fell asleep. When I woke, I was chained to the bed in the room, and had been cut to pull me out of the stunning spell they must have placed on me to move me. I couldn't do anything, but I quickly learned that the more I screamed, the more pleasure he got and the worse it would be. I bit my tongue and my fingers tore into my palms…" she explained, finally trailing off as she started to get lost in the memory she had tried to suppress all month. She felt someone squeezing her hand, and she started, looking around and realizing she had stopped mid story.

"Sorry," she apologized, but the Headmistress dismissed her apology with a wave of her hand. "I don't remember what happened after he started carving into my arms and kept going. When I was rescued, I didn't know it was Harry, Hermione, Draco, and Luna until Luna spoke to me. I thought they had returned. Draco got us out and Narcissa has been helping me since then," she quickly said, rushing through the memory and the feelings.

The Headmistress motioned towards the potion, and Ginny ducked her head. "I didn't know until this morning, or rather, I didn't want to know. I am pregnant, just as he wanted," she admitted, and she felt Draco stiffen next to her. She leaned into him a bit more. She did not want him to think he needed to leave.

"And the father?" the Headmistress asked. Ginny turned her head slightly and looked to Narcissa, uncertain as to how the older witch would respond to the question, and if it were Ginny's place to name their speculation.

"Due to the similarity of Ginny's knife wounds to the scars on my arms, we believe it was Lucius," Narcissa said quietly. Ginny grabbed for Draco's hand, partially for strength and partially to keep him from running off as he was apt to do when he needed space to think.

The Headmistress sighed, looking at the girl who shouldn't have to deal with this part of war. But she knew what she had to do, since the potion she held indicated her decision, even if somewhat forced. "I can give you and Narcissa rooms near to here, so it will be easy for you to have access to Madame Pomfrey. We can figure out how to mask your body as you grow, as we can't let the Dark Lord or any of his followers know about this. But it will be the classes that will be more difficult to handle, specifically the Defence class. Poppy, do you have any restrictions?" Minerva asked the matron.

"Potions class should be safe as we teach nothing that should produce harmful fumes, especially with the caliber of students in the NEWT level class. The Defence class should be fine to continue, provided there are no stunts, and you are careful to keep yourself shielded well during all practicals. The body will do more to protect the cells growing inside of you than you think, but you need to be smart about what you allow to hit your body," she cautioned. Poppy had seen pregnant aurors take more than the young girl was likely to experience in class, but she wasn't going to let her know that.

"I can handle that. I was hoping we could focus more on escape tactics and offensive defense this term. I can sit out on practical and focus on aggressive healing spells, as I'm certain we'll need them," Ginny offered.

The Headmistress nodded. "Poppy will know what set of rooms I'm assigning you to, so when you are ready she can show you the way. I am truly very sorry, Miss Weasley. Is there anyone I should tell?" she asked carefully.

Ginny shook her head. "I don't think they need to worry any more than they probably already are," she said, knowing the professor meant her parents. Her mother wouldn't be able to help her in any case, and she couldn't write enough on the small charm. She looked over to Poppy, who merely raised an eyebrow at her omission of her other fears.

Minerva frowned, but didn't say anything. She informed them that supper was being served at six, and they were free to roam the castle and the grounds, within the normal limitations, before exiting the Hospital Wing. When the door closed, Madame Pomfrey and Narcissa went to the matron's office, where she had a copy of the brewing instructions for the potion. It was safe to brew near Ginny, and many pregnant potions mistresses brewed their own, so Narcissa offered to brew it for her in their new rooms.

Ginny sighed. Everything was going to change, again, now that she has to hide from everyone. Could she give up her magic to prevent the child from being an option? She moved her hand over her lower abdomen, knowing there was nothing to feel but somehow it didn't feel wrong. It didn't feel right, but then again, losing her magic didn't feel like the right choice either.

Draco was pulling away, and she just managed to grab his hand before he walked away. "Draco," she said softly. "Talk to me."

He stopped, but he didn't turn to look at her. "How can you look at me, knowing who did this to you?" he said, harshly. Ginny flinched, but held firm on his hand.

"You're not him," she said simply.

"I was supposed to be," he countered.

"But you're not. You're here," she retorted. She paused, and let go of his hand before asking, "Is this too much for you?"

He turned and looked at her, and he shook his head. "I don't understand how you're okay with all this, and with me being here with you," he admitted.

"Honestly? I'm not okay with all this. I just didn't want you to see me break down," she whispered. "But can you accept it?"

"Of course. There isn't much of an option, is there? Being a squib would make you more of a target. If you need my help, I'll be right here," he said. He couldn't let his friend go through this by herself, even if he was certain he wasn't even on the list of people who could help her best. She pulled him close and hugged him, as silent tears made their way down her face. Neither she nor Draco noticed the two witches watching them from the back of the Hospital Wing, or the smile that they shared.

-x-

In the days leading up to the return of the students, Ginny once again worked on learning was her new normal was to be; only this time she was relying heavily on Narcissa as her only immediate source on pregnancy. She quickly learned that if she took the vitamin potion just before bed, she would wake in the morning without feeling sick. That was perhaps the easiest thing to learn.

Draco, Ernie, and Ginny had sat down to discuss the Defence class for the upcoming term. Ginny mentioned wanting to focus on healing spells, specifically ones that could be used in the middle of a fight, and their need to focus on non-verbal casting. The two young men agreed, and Ginny volunteered to handle those two sections, or to share with Luna. They would continue per normal for the other sections - one for defensive spells, and another for lecture or discussion of topics they couldn't do practically. They would focus on two sections a session, and cover each section once a week.

Ginny was trying to rest up before the students came back, now that she knew that fatigue was likely to set in all the more quickly. She hadn't noticed it much, but she hadn't been in classes or trying to perform a normal workload. That would end in just a few days, and she wasn't sure how she would manage. It would be difficult enough to hide some of the more outward signs, but to stay on top of her schoolwork and appear as chipper as always? She may have to cut back on some things, as much as she didn't want to.

All too soon, the students returned to Hogwarts. Ginny waited in the Entrance Hall for Luna, knowing the blond would know something was different, but Ginny didn't see her. She joined the rest of the students for the evening meal, and scanned the Ravenclaw table as she picked at her plate, but she couldn't find Luna anywhere. She quickly scanned the other tables, in hopes that her friend had sat with Ernie, or even Draco, but she couldn't find her anywhere. Ginny was trying not to panic, but knew something was very wrong. She caught Draco's eye, and Ernie's, and as soon as the Headmistress dismissed the students, they met up and headed towards the Headmistress' office.

Neither of her friends had seen Luna, and just before they reached the gargoyle, Ginny heard Neville call out her name. She turned to see him running after the group. "Have you seen Luna?" he asked, a bit breathless as he had sprinted to catch them. "I can't find her anywhere," he said, worried. "Did you hear from her over the holidays?" he asked.

Ginny looked at Draco quickly, not sure how to answer. "I actually escorted her home from the train," Draco jumped in to answer for her. "I apparated her directly to her home, and her father was very happy to see her. But I haven't heard from her since," he admitted, frowning.

Neville looked as if to ask another question, but the gargoyle jumped aside and the staircase was shown to the group of four students. Ginny motioned to let Ernie and Neville go before her, and though they gave her an odd look, they didn't protest. She grabbed Draco's hand and gripped the handrail with the other. Now would not be the time for her stomach to disagree and cause her to fall up or down the stairs, but she couldn't let the two young men ahead of her know about any of that.

When he reached the top of the stair, the Headmistress was already waiting for them. "Please, sit," she said, motioning at the variety of couches and chairs around the room. Ginny allowed Draco to gently guide her to a chair, but she chose one from which she could see the entire room. She noticed that Dumbledore's portrait was hanging within her line of sight - not that he would be able to help them, but she felt slightly comforted by the fact.

"Headmistress, did you know that Luna would not be returning this term?" Ginny asked softly, trying not to cry but fearing her friend was being punished over Ginny's escape.

She saw the witch sigh rather than heard it, and Ginny braced herself for bad news. "I did not know she had been taken until it was made aware she was not listed as being on the train back to Hogwarts. I was unable to find much, but she is still alive. She is likely being held prisoner in Azkaban, as so many witches and wizards are right now," the professor explained. It was not news any of the four students should need to hear, but it was war and they had become accustomed to such news.

Ginny could not hold back her tears, and they slowly started to roll down her face. She knew she was part of this, though the Headmistress went on to say the official listing from the Ministry was for being an accomplice to publishing supporting articles for enemy number one - Harry Potter. Tom wasn't going to come out and admit the real reason, and Ginny feared for her friend. She trusted the Headmistress when she said Luna was still alive, but for how long? She fiddled with the bracelet, wishing she had tried harder just after Luna went home to verify she was okay. By the time she tried a day it two later, it must have been too late.

"Headmistress, could the young Miss Weasley and I have a word together?" Ginny heard an elderly but familiar voice call out. She looked up and saw the painted Dumbledore looking at her kindly. The three young men stood to leave, granting their goodbyes as they knew they were being dismissed. Draco whispered that he would wait for her at the bottom of the stairs, before he looked up at the portrait, eyes haunted. She briefly wondered how often he relived that night, before the guilt about her never asking about that started to fall on her as well. Before she could stop herself, she was crying even harder, unable to look at the portrait, unable to look at the Headmistress, and unable to allow herself the forgiveness she needed.

"Miss Weasley," she heard the kind voice of the former headmaster call down to her. "Child. There is very little you could have done, child. The young Miss Lovegood is quite perceptive, and accepting of anyone. She would not blame anyone but those who took her in the first place," he said, giving her the words she needed to hear but could not yet accept. "She reminds me of her mother. Inventive and brilliant, yet kind hearted and loving. She would never trade your friendship, and never spurn it, when her love for you, as her friend, is so deep. She would not want you to cry, child, but instead be strong for both you and your little one, and find a way to rescue her while keeping as many people safe as possible," the portrait Albus continued. Ginny looked up when he mentioned the 'little one.'

Her eyes widened, and though she knew that the Headmistress had often confided in the former Headmaster, she hadn't considered she still would. But Albus was only smiling at her, no judgement, no loathing, not even pity. He seemed truly happy for her, or at least determined to make good of a bad turn of events. He had always been like that, and for the most part, Ginny had appreciated it.

"If I had paid more attention, we could have known and rescued her," Ginny said quietly, disappointed her herself and in letter her friend down. "Why did she not even try to use the charm? I kept trying to reach her, even if it was a few days later," she whispered to herself.

"Even so, child, Miss Lovegood knows that a message can be intercepted. And she knew your mental state. She likely believed she was protecting you, and can continue to protect you, by not trying to contact you. She knows that Tom is looking for you, and as her friend, she knows she has to protect you," the portrait said. Ginny knew he was making sense, but she felt so guilty.

"Do you think she will be okay until we can get her out of there?" she asked. She knew her friend could perform a powerful patronus, so she had strong memories to push her through, but for how long?

"As terrible as it is to say it, Azkaban is probably in better condition now than it has been in the recent past. It won't be easy, but she'll have what she needs to survive, and she's very resourceful," portrait-Albus said. Ginny allowed herself a grin at that - as much as she tried to help Luna fend of pranks, some quite cruel, of the other students, Luna always seemed to have an answer or a way to make do. Resourceful was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to Luna's capabilities to adapt.

"I still feel as if it is my fault. That if I hadn't needed to be rescued, she would be here, and safe," Ginny said.

"Miss Weasley," the Headmistress chimed in then, looking up at Albus before continuing. "Even so, her name and her father's are on the list of wanted people at the Ministry. Had I known this before the end of the last term, I would have kept her here. She has been as much of a wanted person as yourself, or many other known Dumbledore's Army members. I am responsible for thinking they would be safe to return home for the holidays, when in fact some were not," she admitted. She walked over and held the young witch's hand.

"Worrying will do us no good, and isn't healthy for you right now. Particularly when you are about to add quite a bit with classes. What we can do it continue to look for news and find an opportunity to get her, and many others, out of imprisonment," she continued, squeezing the young girl's hand both in support and for confirmation of her commitment. Ginny nodded, giving a quick squeeze back. She looked up at the portrait of Dumbledore, and she gave a weak smile.

"Should you need anything, Miss Weasley, my portrait is open for your use," he said with a smile. Ginny's eyes shone a bit at that, knowing that while she would still have to be careful of him, even as a portrait, she could come to him for advice as she needed. She stood, dismissing herself and walking down the stair slowly. She had forgotten Draco had said he would wait for her, and she startled when she saw him next to the gargoyle when she landed at the bottom of the staircase.

She quickly recovered, though, and the first thing out of her mouth was an apology. "I am so very sorry, Draco," she said, holding up a hand to stop him from speaking. "I didn't think about what seeing his portrait for mean for you. I have not been a very good friend for you," Ginny explained her apology. She looked around, and seeing the hall was empty, she gave him a very quick hug.

"On the contrary," Draco said, quietly. "You've been the only friend who I know will listen and understand when I'm ready. And you're the one who has stood up for me, given me a chance, and who knows more about me than anyone else. I would trust you with my life, if it came to it," he admitted.

"It was very thoughtless of me," she said, blushing in embarrassment for forgetting such a simple thing.

"We had more important things to worry about. You have nothing to be sorry for," he replied, firm in his stance and not willing to let herself feel any worse over this than she already was. "I didn't even remember until I hear his voice. I, too, was too focused on Luna," he said. "So you have nothing over which to fret."

By this time, they were at Ginny's rooms, and Draco let her enter before him. He called out to his mother to wish her a good evening. Before he could leave, Ginny whispered "Pleasant dreams, Draco."

He couldn't help but smile at her as he whispered back, "Sweetest of dreams, Ginny."


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _No warnings needed for this chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

By the end of the first week back to classes, Ginny wasn't sure how she would make it until the end of the year. She wasn't so exhausted as to not keep up, but she knew that as the term progressed, both the school term and her pregnancy, she was going to struggle. The professors were already pushing the students hard, though she knew that was also a response to everything that had happened over the holidays. She could only hope that the fatigue would let up, or that she could figure out how to better manage everything without letting on to the other students that something about her had changed.

She had decided to spend that Friday night in her rooms, not wanting to go down to the Great Hall for a meal, especially if it meant having to move. She just wanted to sleep for as long as she could, but she knew she should at least work on some of her homework assignments while she had some time. While she had no immediate plans for the weekend, especially as it was snowing quite a storm out and she had already cancelled the first recreational quidditch group meeting because of it, Ginny wanted to be able to try to enjoy her two days away from classes.

When Narcissa returned to their rooms, bringing Draco along and a plate of food for Ginny, the redhead had already finished two of her three essays, and had started the third. It was a good thing, too, for Narcissa had news that would fill Ginny's mind for a good part of the evening, and weekend.

"The Headmistress has informed me of a piece of news regarding the hunt for the horcruxes," the older witch said, nearly as soon as she sat down and pushed the plate of food towards Ginny. Ginny's head shot up at that, and she nearly knocked the plate of food off the table. She caught it, though, and settled it and herself before taking a sandwich and leaning back against the couch to look up at Narcissa.

"Ginny, I'm not sure if we were clear with you about why only Hermione and Harry were with Luna and Draco. It seems your brother had walked out on them, frustrated. Harry and Hermione moved camp, and he was unable to find his way back. Well, he had been able to find his way back and rejoined the pair around Christmas," Narcissa started in on the news. Ginny nodded, keeping up so far. She wasn't surprised about Ron - it was always his personality. Usually the risks weren't so high, though. Perhaps this experience would finally teach him to think first.

"His reappearance was quite fortunate. Mister Potter would have drowned if your brother hadn't of shown up to rescue him. But they found the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, and your brother was able destroy the locket they had stolen from the Ministry," the older witch stated. Ginny sat in thought for a few moments. With the Diary, the Ring, and the Locket all gone, there were only three physical horcruxes left. Eventually they would have to tell Harry that he, too, was a horcrux, and she was not looking forward to that discussion. She was about to ask a question, but Narcissa spoke up again before she could open her mouth.

"They recently went to visit Xenophilius Lovegood, presumably to learn about the Deathly Hallows. They were nearly caught, and they learned that the Death Eaters had kidnapped Luna. I don't think they know for certain where she is being kept either," Narcissa said sadly. Ginny's head was moving ahead, though, with a question poking her tired brain.

"How do you know all of this?" she asked, almost afraid of the answer but hoping the source was trustworthy. She hated not knowing if her friends, her family, were safe.

"Phineas Black's portrait is a family relation and possession. He does not like to speak with Minerva, but he will speak to me more openly as a member of the Black family. It seems Miss Granger thought to bring his portrait from Grimmauld Place along on their travels, and he has been reporting back as he is able. She keeps him blindfolded, the clever girl," Narcissa explained. It made sense to Ginny, and she felt it was fortunate. The portrait, if he would speak with Narcissa, could alert the Order to when the trio was in need of help, in addition to how the search was progressing.

"So, they're safe? For now, at least?" Ginny asked.

Narcissa nodded. "Yes, they have moved to a different forest again, but they are safe. I do not know what their next plans are, nor do I know if Ron knows what happened to you over the holiday. Hermione did mention you, according to Phineas, but he didn't know anything more," she answered. Ginny looked down at her plate and half-eaten sandwich, losing any appetite she had managed. She hoped they didn't mention anything to Ron, though she knew it would likely be made known to her family at some point. She shook her head, knowing there was very little she could do about what Ron was told, and she looked back up at the two blonds.

"Well then," she stopped, yawning. "Well, then. If they are safe, and we have no more news on Luna, I suppose I can let my brain attempt to settle for tonight. I just wish I could hear from Luna...I wish we knew if she was really okay or not," Ginny allowed. With few female friends, Luna was precious to Ginny and she really worried about the girl.

Draco moved closer to Ginny and gently squeezed her shoulder. "I've been keeping an eye on the Prophet. I know we may not hear anything in it, but it may be our best source of information for now. But I do think she will be okay," Draco mentioned, and Ginny had an idea of where that last thought would lead. Luna would be okay as long as Ginny was still 'on the run' or escaped. She nodded, knowing both what he said and her thoughts were true.

"Why don't you go to bed, Ginny? You can finish your essay tomorrow," Narcissa offered, frowning at the half eaten sandwich and otherwise full plate. "Don't forget your potion, love."

Ginny stood, Draco helping her to her feet, and she turned to thank Narcissa for the information, before wishing her a good night. Draco walked her to the door of her room, though it was only across the living space she and Narcissa shared. "Pleasant dream, Draco," she said, cognizant of his mother watching them.

"Sweetest of dreams, Ginny."

-x-

Ginny started to feel like she had a pattern going for classes by the middle of the third week back. She was tired, almost always, but she thought that could be due as much to classes and the normal January dreariness as to the pregnancy. Instead of combating it, she had taken to sleeping in until just before breakfast, doing homework while she ate lunch and during her free period, and finishing up any assignments with Draco and Narcissa after the evening meal. The snow had not let up, so the quidditch group had chosen to instead take to meeting in an empty classroom inside the castle on Saturdays as a study group. Between all of that, Ginny felt she was finally able to stay on top of her assignments.

The NEWT level Defense class had picked up where they had left off, though they were keenly aware of their missing classmate. Ernie had stepped in to help Ginny with the practical lessons on non-verbal casting, and the group was progressing well. Ginny felt that combining non-verbal casting on the same day as healing was most useful to her, as they could combine her lessons on the same day - and practice safe spells at the same time.

Thursday that third week of classes was the first time Ginny felt sick in the middle of a class. She had been helping Neville with a tricky wound-closing spell when she smelled something flowery, and her stomach started to roll. She stopped, and quickly took a seat in the chair she had just vacated when demonstrating the spell for her classmate. Neville looked at her, worried. "Okay then, Ginny?"

She took a moment to breathe deeply, but then shook her head. "No, I think I should go see Madame Pomfrey. She can probably fix me up in no time," Ginny, smiling weakly at her friend so he wouldn't worry. She leaned down to grab her bag, and slowly rose to her feet, trying to keep her stomach under control. "Let Ernie and Draco know where I'm off to?" she asked Neville as she made for the door. He nodded.

Ginny knew Narcissa would likely be able to help her just as quickly as the Matron, and there was a much lower chance of any students being with Narcissa at this time on a Thursday. She had taken to working with the NEWT Arithmancy and Transfiguration students, being very quick with both subjects herself. But with most of her students currently in the Defence class, Ginny opted to stop by her office on her way towards her rooms.

She knocked on the door only minutes later, the room being very close to the Defence class. Narcissa opened it slowly, but as soon as she saw the young red-haired girl, she ushered her in quickly and closed the door before casting a few charms to ensure privacy. "Alright, Ginny?" she asked once she was assured of their privacy.

"Nausea in the middle of class is new. I thought I was getting close to the end of this," Ginny said, trying not to complain but failing as her stomach turned again. She searched out a rubbish bin, just in case.

Narcissa looked the girl over. Ginny hadn't mentioned much to the older woman in the way of changes, though she could already see some since she knew what to look for. But she knew sickness in the middle of the afternoon was not one of Ginny's normal symptoms. "Are you sure you're not just ill?" she asked.

"It feels the same. It was after I smelled something flowery, too," Ginny admitted. "I couldn't place the scent, but since it was Neville, it was likely whatever they are working with in the greenhouses."

Narcissa nodded, and smiled slightly. "You'll probably find a few other scents that turn your stomach over the next few weeks. If you're lucky, food won't be a culprit. For me, it was treacle. Such a shame," she winked at the young woman who knew that Narcissa always preferred cake to treacle anyway.

The two chatted about inconsequential topics until Ginny felt back to normal. Narcissa slipped in a few tricks in case this happened again, Ginny noticed, and she was grateful at the older woman's grace and ease at such topics. Ginny always felt awkward and nervous to discuss such things with the woman and she was certain Narcissa knew it. Even though the two shared a living space, Ginny was embarrassed. She was in uncertain territory in multiple senses, and sometimes that was more overwhelming for her than anything.

The two women had turned to more serious topics - namely, any information about Ginny's family or Luna - when the ward on the door sent Narcissa's wand buzzing. Ginny jumped, slightly panicked, before she realized what the noise was. She was blushing as Narcissa released the charms to allow Draco access. She started again when she saw him, not entirely certain as to why but seeing him pause she knew he had noticed. "I'm sorry for leaving," she said.

"You're okay?" he asked, moving forward slowly so as not to startle her again.

"Just a bout of nausea. I think it was from whatever flowers they are growing in the greenhouse," she said, reassuring him. She looked at him in the eyes and repeated, "I'm sorry."

He shrugged it off, but his face relaxed a bit. "It's getting better. I know you can't help it," he allowed. He had been honest with her one night, letting her know that while he didn't know what he could do to help, he didn't hold it against her or blame her.

With that, Narcissa cleared her throat and nodded toward the three cups of tea sitting on her desk. "Shall we get back to any news from our sources?" she asked, sensing the two teens were okay again after this occasional ritual. She took her tea and spoke up as Draco prepared his own and Ginny fished out her peppermint leaves. "Harry, Ron, and Hermione have not updated anyone via the portrait, and I have not seen any news from my sources," she stated.

Ginny had already mentioned she hadn't heard anything from her few Gryffindor sources, but Draco surprised her. "Neville clued Ernie and I into something called Potterwatch. He said we should tap our wizarding radio each night and say 'Fawkes'. If it's safe to broadcast, we'll be turned into the underground radio, run by DA and Order members," he explained. He went on to explain that Neville had hung back after class to inform them, and he had asked specifically for Draco to pass the news along to Ginny. "He said you might recognize some of the voices, and we'll have much better news from outside of Hogwarts."

Ginny sighed at that, a small smile on her face. "Some news would be wonderful, don't you think?" she asked the older woman across from her.

Narcissa nodded. "We'll have to remember every night. I imagine the broadcasts aren't entirely planned."

When it seemed there was no other news for the week, the trio turned to lighter topics. The afternoon passed, Ginny pulling out some assignments she wanted to finish up so she wouldn't have to work on them over the weekend, while Narcissa and Draco spoke of other topics. She would have worked through the evening meal if it weren't for Draco sitting down just in her line of sight. She looked up and realized the two were both looking at here. "I was ignoring you, wasn't I?" she asked sheepishly. She looked down at her transfiguration essay and figured it was probably good enough, considering it was already longer than the maximum limit and it was one Narcissa was going to be grading anyway. She rolled it up and handed it to the woman. "Next week's assignment. I may forget to turn it in otherwise," she admitted.

"With that done, then, shall we now go to supper?" Narcissa asked, smiling. Making sure Ginny ate was one of the things she found she had to remind the young woman of often, particularly if she had been feeling ill in the morning.

Ginny nodded. "I do believe I can manage now. The tea certainly helped," she said as she finished putting her supplies away. She was about to hoist her bag on her shoulder when Draco took it from her. She was going to say something, but she knew he just wanted to help, so she kept quiet for tonight. It wouldn't do to push him further than she already had today. So instead she nodded her thanks and the three headed down to the Great Hall for supper.

-x-

 _The books had been moved, but Ginny recognized the bookcase she was behind. There was enough room for her to shift slightly to see between different books than before and she confirmed she was back in the study a dream had led her to months ago. Though she couldn't see much, she could sense Tom, and she heard someone speaking._

" _She is at Hogwarts," the voice said. Ginny knew they were speaking of her, and she strained to take in everything she could before figuring out how to escape her dream._

" _She doesn't hide as you might expect, My Lord," a voice said, tentatively. "And she freely associates with the traitor and his mother."_

 _Tom snarled at the two voices, and she assumed they were bowing to the floor as she barely made out the drop of a body to the floor. "Then why can you not bring her to me? Or confirm the success of my plan?" he yelled. Ginny didn't hear anything further from the two voices she had heard earlier, as Tom kept on about plans. He gave no specifics, and Ginny knew she needed to wake up. He was just getting more and more mad and she didn't want to see what would come next as the screams had already started…_

-x-

After that dream, Ginny had taken to being even more cautious. She had woken Narcissa to explain her dream before she could forget any details, and the older woman had immediately floo'd the Headmistress. Though they had all been aware that Hogwarts may not be safe as the Ministry technically had access, the confirmation from Ginny's dream prompted a middle of the night brainstorming. The extra protections on the school still held and the Headmistresses assured the vanishing cabinet had been destroyed. The three women agreed to wait until morning to talk to Poppy and a few people Ginny felt she could trust. Most of the NEWT and sixth-year students knew that Ginny had escaped from the Death Eaters due to the article in the Daily Prophet, but she had rebuffed anyone who had dared ask her about it.

Neville and Ernie had immediately agreed to accompany Ginny around the castle between classes when Draco could not, or even as a group when they had classes together. Ginny and Narcissa would spend their mornings and breakfasts with Poppy - which could also serve as a safe time for Ginny to speak with the Matron about her pregnancy as well as healing in general. The Headmistress spoke with Filius about various protection charms and the castle protections and fortifications in general.

Ginny was grateful she was still able to attend the Saturday study sessions, as she had taken quite a liking to some of the younger students and enjoyed helping them with their homework, or, on slow afternoons, playing chess or Exploding Snap while passing on her knowledge of the castle and pranks. She had even caught Draco snickering openly once or twice at some of her stories of the twin's antics, which made her heart swell. Draco had been softening, ever so slowly, but she knew many of the younger students feared him. She hoped his laughter with the group and interactions would continue to build some good acquaintances, if not friendships.

He was still most open with her, but Draco had been very honest with both Ernie and Neville, and she felt he had finally let himself relax some when they were the only others around. It was times like these that Ginny truly missed and worried about Luna. Her friend would have reassured Ginny that the three young men were getting along and would have had something to say about their auras. But she would also be there for Ginny when she was feeling alone.

Narcissa, Ginny, and Draco had been able to catch a few episodes of Potterwatch, but there had been no news on Luna, the trio, or her family. Ginny reminded herself that was good, as that meant they were safe, but her heart ached for them. She remembered crying the first night they actually found a broadcast. Remus' voice came over the radio and she had burst into tears. His voice was so familiar and comforting, she couldn't help it. Ginny didn't remember what the broadcast had been about since she had spent most of it crying into Narcissa's motherly hug. Narcissa, while a witch Ginny now trusted, was not her mother. And while Remus was not her family either, he was nearly so for all the time he had spent at Grimmauld Place or The Burrow, and knowing he was safe gave her hope for her family.

For all the good moments, Ginny still struggled with Draco at some times. If she was honest, she struggled with all males when they came too close or brushed against her in the hall or passed her at meals. She had been discussing her reactions with both Narcissa and Poppy, about how frustrated she was with herself for being scared, while then transitioning to realizing maybe she should be scared because of her dreams and Tom's unknown plans, then back to being frustrated that she couldn't trust her closest friends. The women helped, but she knew that if she couldn't actually trust the three males who were her closest friends at Hogwarts just then, she would not be able to make it through the school year or the war.

Privately, she had admitted to Narcissa that she was afraid that Draco would give up on her and discard her. That Lucius' - they had decided it would help Ginny to name him as her attacker - taunts and screams were true. The more she had tried to talk to the women, the more she was remembering. She remembered being told that she would now be worthless to anyone other than the Dark Lord, useless, and trash like the rest of her family. Ginny had admitted that she was afraid it was true. She knew how the Wizarding World looked at unwed mothers. Even if it was not her fault (and she was still not sure she believed Narcissa when she said it wasn't - she had been the one to release Tom five years ago, hadn't she?), their world would not be accepting of her, or the child, if it came to a head.

Narcissa had assured her that Draco would not abandon her. He may not understand, and he may sometimes walk off to think things through, but he would be there when Ginny needed him. Ginny knew this was true, but part of her mind fought back, often. Narcissa's logic, and her own, could not fight off her fears.

-x-

She had been buried in her schoolwork and changes from her pregnancy so much that when Ginny arrived at lunch on Valentine's Day, she was completely unprepared. She had woken with a burst of energy that morning, and had hurried to finish up her last assignment for the next week so she could enjoy her weekend, while somehow completely missing the date. She had had breakfast with Narcissa and Poppy, but had focused on organizing herself for the day while she had some energy. She had failed to register that the two women were showing some extra motherly care.

But the moment she stepped into the Great Hall, Ginny's stomach dropped. The decorations were sparse, but present, and she noticed many students sitting in pairs. How had she not noticed so many couples in the previous weeks? Her hand started to drift towards her abdomen but she caught herself and instead adjusted the strap of her bag. Since Neville had walked her to lunch from Muggle Studies while Draco and Ernie had been on their free period, she pulled on his arm so they could sit at the end of the Gryffindor table. She quickly grabbed a goblet of pumpkin juice so she would have something to drink to calm her nerves. Peppermint tea would have been better, but she knew there would be none to be found at lunch.

Neville did his best to distract her, and they were soon discussing various points from the Muggle Studies lecture that day. It had been a rather interesting lesson on Muggle history of what they called the First World War. Neville had started in on the different tactics he picked up on from the lesson that he wanted to read about further. The discussion had quickly gone forward from there, adequately serving as a distraction for both of them until the middle of the meal, when the Owl Post for the day arrived.

An owl swooped down in front of Ginny and dropped a letter on her plate. She looked up to try to identify the owl, but it had gotten lost in the mass of owls. She hadn't received a letter since the summer, and she wasn't entirely certain she wanted to open this piece of post. Ginny knew the post itself should be safe to touch - all letters were checked to be certain they were not portkeys themselves - but that did not mean it wasn't a dangerous letter all the same. It looked innocent enough on the front, but she did not recognize the handwriting. Admittedly, it was difficult to tell with only her name written on the front, and being Valentine's Day, she supposed it could be an innocent admirer. She had had plenty in past years.

All of her thinking was through in a manner of seconds, and before Neville could say anything, she reached for the letter and turned it over to open it. She immediately dropped it as she unfolded it, hand to her mouth and ran out of the Hall. In all the rush of students entering and leaving for the meal, she was able to run out nearly unnoticed. Neville, shocked, reached across the table to grab the letter and paled at the Dark Mark he saw on the parchment he held. He quickly folded it and slipped it in a pocket to give to the Headmistress later, and followed Ginny out of the Hall.

Ginny had already made it part of the way back to her rooms and was out of Neville's sight, out of nearly anyone's sight really. Her tears and fear made it hard to focus, but Ginny knew she needed to stop and head back. The students were becoming fewer and fewer, leaving her nearly alone. Her rational mind said that is exactly what that letter had meant to do, and she let that rationality take over as she quickly stopped and turned back towards the Hall.

Her tears slowed as she tried to calm herself on her walk back. She could see one student ahead of her, and tried to hurry to catch up, but tripped and fell over a small trunk she swore had not been there as she ran past minutes before. As she scrambled to get back up, she saw the trunk had opened and something was emerging.

The something quickly took the shape of a faceless man holding a knife in one hand and laughing maniacally. Ginny fumbled with her wand as she recognized the Boggart for what it was but fearful all the same. Just seeing that knife again made her arms and legs hurt, and she felt back down, only managing a weak 'Riddilukulus!' as she fell. The spell stopped the creature, but did not destroy it or send it back to the trunk. Instead, it changed again, this time into some of her Defence classmates, pointing at her and taunting her for being a failure. This time, knowing it was a Boggart and trying not to take her fears to heart, she tried the spell again.

'Riddikulus!' she said, but as she could not think up a strong enough memory to fight the fear, the Boggart only changed again, and this time Ginny staggered back and nearly dropped her wand. The creature had shifted into Draco, and he started in on her, saying he couldn't be friends with someone so weak that she couldn't defend herself, that he couldn't be seen with someone so careless as it would hurt his already damaged status, that he was leaving and taking him mother with him.

Ginny knew the Boggart was only feeding off her own fears, but the words, coming from a perfect representation of Draco, frightened her and hurt all the same. She closed her eyes to think of something funny enough to make it stop, and struggled to raise her wand until she felt a hand softly raising her wand hand with her, and another on her opposite shoulder, as a parent would guide a child with a new spell. "Together?" she heard a voice question quietly. The hand guiding her wrist held it in place and a finger tapped against her hand three times. On the third tap, she weakly cast the spell while the person behind her cast with ease. The Boggart-Draco suddenly turned snow white and shrunk down into the form of a ferret, which then started to bounce. Ginny couldn't help but giggle, even knowing the real Draco, standing behind her, wouldn't like it. But to her surprise, he let out a loud laugh and the Boggart disappeared.

She relaxed into his hug as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, but tensed as she realized he may have heard the creature. "How much of that did you see?" she asked quietly, not turning to face him as he slowly let his arms drop.

He put one hand on her shoulder as he spoke. "Neville found me as he came out of the Hall after you, and we split up at the corridor back there, uncertain if you would have gone to my mother's office or continue on to your rooms. I...I saw enough. I won't leave your friendship for any reason, especially ones as untrue as those, Ginny," he said as he walked around to try to speak with her face to face. She had her face to the floor, unable to look him in the eye. He pulled her into a hug instead, and whispered, "Besides, I have to be a little afraid of anyone who can remember me as a ferret in such detail!" trying to get her to smile. He wasn't sure if she did, but she did finally relax again.

Neville and his mother came across the two at that moment, and Draco gently placed a hand against Ginny's head to pull her closer as he nodded at something on the floor behind her. "I wouldn't suggest touching that, but the Headmistress should see it. I think this was a well-planned trap using the letter to draw her out, a Boggart to catch her off guard and trap her, and that box to whisk her away as she backed into it," Draco explained his theory quietly. At the mention of yet another box, likely a portkey, Ginny started to become dizzy as a new wave of fear rushed over her. She started shaking. If Draco hadn't arrived when he did, she would be back in the hands of Tom, or on her way there. Her knees slowly gave out, but before she could fall, Draco scooped her up.

"We'll take the box and letter to the Headmistress. Get her to Madame Pomfrey, son," Narcissa instructed as she cast a charm to hover the box in a bubble in front of her. Draco nodded, and turned back the way Ginny had been coming from. She was still awake, but shaking, so he decided to talk to her about what he and Ernie had planned over their free period. They felt it was time to cover escapes, but wanted to add an interesting twist to it. Ernie knew of a sort of game some Muggles would play, where they were locked in a room for an hour and had to find the clues to escape before time was up if they wanted to win the game. Draco and Ernie thought they could adapt that to wandless escapes with only whatever was in the room. They had discussed and practiced spells that could be useful, including a sending a message through a DA coin, but studying Muggle escapes or wandless magic escapes would be extremely useful.

Draco knew he was on the verge of babbling, but it kept Ginny alert and talking on something else until they reached the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey quickly had the young woman settled in a bed and when she confirmed nothing else was wrong, not even a scraped knee, she mixed a diluted Calming Draught for Ginny and said she could stay in the Wing as long as she liked. Friday afternoons were typically Double Arithmancy, but she was doubtful she would be able to focus. Instead, she settled back into the bed, and grabbed for Draco's hand. She urged him to continue working on the idea and listened to him rattle off some of Ernie's other suggestions until she felt asleep.

"Sweetest of dreams, Ginny."

-x-

When Ginny woke, she was only partially surprised to find the Headmistress, Narcissa, Draco, and Neville in the Hospital Wing. She had heard them talking as she came out of deep sleep and knew she needed to come to and hear the discussion at hand. She sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes before opening them to the sight of five people off to the side of her bed. Neville noticed her first, being closest, and he gave her a warm grin. "Good nap?" he asked tentatively.

"Good enough," she countered. Her energy from the morning had all but left. "You didn't miss class, did you?" she asked, concerned and confused as to how long she had slept.

He shook his head. "We came up as soon as class was over. We may have rushed through the topic just a bit to get here more quickly," he admitted. By that time, the others had noticed she was awake and had gathered around her bed. Ginny noticed Draco had maneuvered himself off to her right, close enough for comfort if it was needed.

The Headmistress explained what she and Professor Flitwick had determined. The box had indeed been a portkey, and once the spell had been lifted, the Charms professor had recognized it as having an emblem of Ravenclaw on it. It suggested a student was at least part of the unsuccessful kidnapping, if not fully behind it. Ginny found it only slightly ironic that the one Ravenclaw she trusted most and could have likely identified someone suspicious was, as far as she knew, still in Azkaban. Luna knew her Housemates better than they knew themselves, Ginny was nearly certain. But the emblem could also be a false plant, she knew. Who could she trust, truly?

The professors went on to explain that there had not been anything identifying in the letter. They could stop her post in the future, if she wished, and she agreed. She got so little post she doubted it would matter. They discussed a few other options and suggestions, but Ginny knew the real issue would be her. She needed to be sure she wasn't alone again. She hated feeling weak and trapped, but she put on a brave face until the Headmistress and Neville left to head down to the Great Hall for the evening meal.

Narcissa gathered her into a tight hug, whispering she was happy to see Ginny safe and strong. Ginny felt ashamed at that. Hadn't she failed, again, to notice her surroundings - and to go off on her own in the first place? As if the older woman could read her thoughts, she corrected Ginny. "You are strong, Ginny. Not only did you stare at the Mark today, you fought against three of your biggest fears, and you have friends who would sacrifice themselves to keep you safe. A strong bond of friendship is one of the greatest strengths you possess," she reminded the young woman before letting go. She smoothed the sheets and fluffed Ginny's pillow before announcing she'd be back with some supper shortly.

Since Madame Pomfrey had gone back into her office once she knew Ginny was okay, only Draco remained. Ginny lay back down, turning on her side so she could face Draco. "Do you forgive me?" she asked, afraid that now that he'd had time to think over her Boggart, he'd change his mind. Her mind told her she was worthless, begging like this, and a tear leaked out of her eye, though she wasn't sure if it was one of sadness for believing the words or one of anger that she couldn't shake the lying voice from her head.

Draco reached over to wipe the tear off her nose and it rolled sideways. "There's nothing to forgive. Fears are not always rational," he allowed. He paused, and thought for a moment. "Perhaps I should be asking you for forgiveness for making you think I thought so little of you," he replied.

Ginny shook her head and another tear made its way sideway off her face. "No. It wasn't anything you did," she said, but she wasn't sure she could explain. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out at first so she closed it. She closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see Draco, but she finally said, "He told me I would be worthless and useless except for the Dark Lord. I can't get those words out of my head."

She could sense him leaning away from her bed, though she didn't hear his footsteps walking away. She cracked an eye open about a minute later, and saw Draco's elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. Ginny hadn't wanted to hurt him, but she knew that it would hurt all the same. Any link to his father's actions hurt him. She curled her knees up towards her chest, comforting herself. She would let him have the time he needed to process.

When Narcissa returned with three trays of food hovering behind her, she saw the two not talking, but Draco had moved one hand from his head to hold one of Ginny's. Narcissa wasn't certain what had happened, but she felt that with that one gesture, the two would be okay.

-x-

Unfortunately, Narcissa's optimistic feeling was slow in coming true. The two young adults struggled during the next few weeks to find something comfortable for the two of them. Ginny had started to withdraw and become less social, using schoolwork as her excuse to stay in after classes and calling on the House Elves when it came time to eat supper. And while the young woman did not ignore Draco, Narcissa was certain she hadn't seen them play a game of chess or joke around with each other since before the attack.

Draco himself wasn't helping the situation. Not knowing how to handle such a fragile friendship or a woman in Ginny's situation, he opted to stay away and give her space. Narcissa was certain this was only causing Ginny to turn inward even more, protecting herself in case Draco did leave. It was not a good or smart situation for either.

Narcissa and Poppy had encouraged Ginny to talk through her fears and worries with at least the two of them, woman to woman to woman. And she had opened up some. She admitted to the two when she had a new dream about Tom and his frantic hunt for her after the first attempt failed. She talked through her fears of the unknown, and how she couldn't let herself think of what he would do to her, or the foetus she carried, if someone was successful. Those mornings were usually full of tears, but Narcissa and Poppy worked to ensure Ginny had plenty of calm and happy mornings as well.

The older woman, not having known Ginny before her kidnapping, did not know how Albus had helped the girl after her first year. His portrait had been annoyingly coy on the topic, as well. He only repeated that once she had been able to sleep peacefully and garnish some support for her talents, things had worked out on their own. The twinkle in his eye suggested some intervention on his part, but Narcissa hadn't been able to pull anything from him.

-x-

"Narcissa, I don't think my clothes can be transfigured any bigger! Nothing fits!" Ginny cried out to the older woman as she came out of her room in just a dressing gown and holding a pair of jeans in her hand. They had been close to threadbare and nearly too small when she packed them, but she hadn't had time to go shopping over the summer as it hadn't been safe. Most of her clothing had been hand-me-downs anyway, and years old. The slight transfigurations she had needed just to lengthen them had already taken their toll.

As she walked out of her room, she realized Draco was already there and she stopped short, face turning red. She turned and ran back into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Draco looked to his mother, confused, but she shook her head.

Narcissa knocked on the door and called out to Ginny before she came in. The room was rather messy, with most of Ginny's clothing tossed around as she had obviously been trying to find something that fit. Narcissa had noticed that Ginny had just started to show, but only if someone knew what to look for. She knew, though, that on top of the thickening the young girl's body had done in preparation, it was finally enough to need some actual maternity clothes that could grow with the young witch.

"I think I should have something in my room that will do. We can transfigure some of my clothes to fit you until the Easter holidays when we have some time," she told Ginny as she knelt down on the floor where the young woman had leaned against the bed, crying. "Come, now, let's get you something to wear before you get cold sitting on this floor," Narcissa continued, gently guiding Ginny up and towards the door so they could go to Narcissa's rooms.

Ginny stopped before they got to the door. "Draco saw me. He saw how fat I am. He knows I can't fit into my clothes!" she wailed, new tears running down her already wet cheeks.

"Ginny, love, he knows you are pregnant. He's old enough to understand what that means for a woman. He just thinks you're beautiful, don't you Draco?" the older woman called out to her son as she guided the young girl out of her room and one door over. She turned her head to her son and nodded at him to say something to his crying friend.

"Of course you're beautiful, Ginny," he tried, on uncertain ground and very uncomfortable with crying people. "Brilliantly observant, an understanding friend, and beautiful," he finished, and his mother nodded at him with a smile. He ran his hand through his hair, and shook his head after his mother held up a few fingers and closed the door behind them. He had a feeling he was going to need to get up to speed, and quickly.

A few minutes later, his mother came back out of the room. "She's changing. I think she's been transfiguring her clothes until they no longer hold together, even before the pregnancy, but the past week or so has made it apparent she is growing. And she's ashamed and scared of what this new growth means," she tried to explain to her son. Narcissa knew he couldn't understand how she did, but she wanted him to try. "She has no one except me to be excited with her or for her, and I think this is forcing her to realize that is really is true. And having to do it alone, with no friends to stand in for what should be her partner is very difficult," she told her son. The door opened just after that, leaving Draco to keep whatever he had wanted to say to himself.

Narcissa had packed some lounging clothes back in December when they had abruptly left her secret-kept home. She had anticipated the pregnancy and the need for some extra clothing. Luckily, Ginny was as slim as Narcissa, and only slightly shorter. The clothing had been easy to transfigure and a few charms would keep the clothing fresh for the week or two they would need until they could figure out what to do as a more permanent solution and the clothes came in. Ginny's uniforms would last her for this last week of classes before the Easter holidays, so she only needed the clothing for after classes and today. When Narcissa turned to look at Ginny, she knew they had done a fine job when Ginny was able to give her a small smile.

"See, love? Just beautiful," the older woman said Ginny walked to the couches. She picked up her tea, noticeable by the mint leaves still soaking, and sat down. She took a big sip before turning to Narcissa.

"Thank you. I'll find a way to repay you," she said, face turning red again. A Weasley knew when she had debts to repay and she wouldn't forget it.

"Nonsense. This is part of your Christmas gift," Narcissa said, waving it off.

"I should have enough saved to buy some new clothes, if we can make it to a safe shop," Ginny tried again. If she bought smartly and could use some of her mother's seamstress spells to reinforce the clothes before she started transfiguring them, she could make them last.

"An Easter present, darling girl. You needn't worry about clothing," Narcissa responded, putting her hand on Ginny's arm. She caught Ginny's eyes and smiled. "Truly."

Ginny seemed to accept it for now, but Narcissa suspected the young woman would have more to say on it later. Narcissa planned to call in a few favors she had remaining, though, so the young woman could have clothing not only for the next five months but for after the birth and for the babe as well.

They sat in silence, enjoying their morning tea and the sunlight coming through the windows on the far side of the room. "Would you like to beat me in a chess match this morning?" Draco suddenly asked.

His friend smiled at him, though it was a touch sad. "As much as I would love to break in that new Wizard's Chess set, I have an appointment with Madame Pomfrey this morning. Something new, but routine for this point of a pregnancy," Ginny said. She would much prefer to play chess, even if she lost, to the appointment she needed to leave for in the next few minutes.

"Can I join you?" Draco asked, slightly embarrassed. He did not know what the appointment would involve, but hadn't his mother just told him Ginny needed a friend to help her through?

Ginny blushed, but she nodded. "Will it be okay?" she asked Narcissa, looking to her for guidance.

"Poppy will be happy to see you with a friend. Most midwives encourage the mother-to-be to bring the father or a close friend to appointments, especially the important ones," Narcissa confirmed. She looked at the clock, and pulled Ginny up into a quick hug. "Best be going, love. I'll clean up while you're there so we can enjoy the rest of the day when you're back."

-x-

Ginny had caught the flicker of shock on the Matron's face when she walked into the Hospital Wing with Draco instead of Narcissa. But aside from that one look, Poppy was cheerful and all business as she normally was for these appointments. She managed to keep a conversation running with Ginny while asking all the necessarily questions. Ginny somehow managed to answer all of them, even the embarrassing ones, with Draco sitting there with her.

As she lay down on the bed, ready for the part of this appointment Poppy and Narcissa had been preparing her for but she had feared. She would get to see an image of the foetus inside of her, and hear the heartbeat. As the Matron helped Ginny settle, she asked how Ginny was actually feeling.

"Fearful. Frustrated with myself. Cowardly. Wondering if I made the right decision," Ginny admitted to the Matron. She couldn't bring herself to look at Draco, but she knew he must have heard because he put a hand on top of hers.

The Matron reminded Ginny, "I can hide the results if you don't wish to see or hear."

Ginny nodded. "I know. But somehow I feel like that might be worse," she said. "I'm warring with myself over it in my head. Probably best to do it and get it over with."

Poppy stilled for a moment and waited for Ginny to settle back before she pointed her wand at the young woman's abdomen and said a spell. Immediately, an image of the foetus projected just above the girl, and the area filled with the strong, fast beating of a heart.

Poppy saw the young man's eyes widen at the sound of the heartbeat, but he didn't look at the young girl's abdomen like she expected. He instead looked at Ginny's face, as if he wasn't sure how he should react. Ginny was taken by the image hovering above her abdomen, and let the sound wash over her. Tears were escaping her eyes, but when she turned to look at Draco, she managed a small smile.

"There's something living inside of me," she said, then giggled. Her face sobered, and she grabbed Draco's hand, squeezing it tightly. "I am going to be a mother," she said, more to herself than anyone else.

Draco, if anyone asked him later, had no idea where the words came from, but he didn't hesitate. "We'll learn together. And Madame Pomfrey and my mother will help us," he said, squeezing Ginny's hand as he said it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** This is a fan fic, meaning, I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize, I do not own the settings, and I do not own the parts of the books I've borrowed. That belongs to JKR. The plot you don't recognize is indeed mine. I hope you enjoy my playing in JKR's playground!

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _This is the final chapter, dears. Thanks for sticking with me. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on how this ended and what you thought overall. What would you like to see more of?_

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

The week before the Easter holidays was only to be four days long, for which Ginny was grateful. While her energy had finally increased over the last month, she found classes exhausting from how hard the professors had been pushing the students. It didn't help that she continued to worry over Luna and trio, as they had not heard any news about them specifically.

Sunday evening after Ginny's appointment and a day spent transfiguring her uniforms for the four days of classes that week, Narcissa, Draco, and Ginny had caught another episode of Potterwatch. Fred had been on, causing Ginny to realize how much she missed her family. She had toyed with her bracelet and the charm from her mother, but she did not know what to say. Fred might be okay, but Ginny hadn't heard much about her parents and knew she shouldn't risk endangering them any more than she was just by being her and being a wanted person.

While the week went well after that happier start, Ginny was exhausted by Thursday afternoon. She knew she could have asked Ernie or even Neville to cover her portions of the Defence class for the day, but the lesson was going to be an easy one as it was an exposition type of class. They group had decided together to spend the last class before the short break using their non-verbal magic skills in a show-and-tell type of class. They would participate in informal duels, matched randomly by drawing numbers from a bowl, and allowed to use any spells up to the fifth year OWLS classes.

The first few duels went rather well, Ginny thought. Her classmates had struggled with some of the spells but had worked hard and learned quickly once they figured out what would work for them. Some of the students struggled with offensive spells, but everyone in the fifteen member class could hold their own with a shield and a few basic offensive spells. Because of this, most of the duels were ending in a draw, when either student would need to cast a spell verbally in order to try to overpower their dueling partner.

Ginny did worry that the spells they were learning would not be enough in a real battle, but she was impressed with how far they had come in the two and a half months they had focused in on non-verbal casting. If they had until the end of the year, she knew some of her classmates would be very dangerous duelers. Of course, many of them already were when they could use any spell they knew. The dodging techniques and tracking techniques they had studied had only enhanced the power and intelligence of spell-casting many of the students already had. She only wished more students had returned so they could have an even stronger group.

Her own duel had only lasted a few minutes. She had been paired off with a quiet but powerful Hufflepuff, a young woman Ginny suspected Ernie had been working with as they had similar casting techniques. However, both young women had gone in for the kill, so to speak, right away, using their most powerful spells and causing each other to spend more time shielding than attacking. They had retreated to a few basic spells, but a few passes proved that neither was going to be caught off guard in that classroom setting, and they soon shook hands and made way for the last few pairs.

When the seven pairs had finished, the last student, a male Ravenclaw, was allowed to choose who he would like to face off as the class had an unequal number. Much to Ginny's surprise, the quiet Ravenclaw asked to face off against Ginny. She was exhausted, and knew that no one would look at her twice if declined, though her pride might be a bit bruised. But she knew it would be better, and so she tried to politely decline due to fatigue.

"I insist," the Ravenclaw continued, pressing her to accept. She again begged off, and the young man's friend pulled on his arm to try to talk some sense into him. He eventually let up, and the class decided to end for the day as the bell was ringing. Ginny smiled at the young man in apology, and turned to pack up her bag, pausing to yawn.

She suddenly found herself on the ground, breath caught from the pain she felt. Instinctively her hands curled in and moved towards her abdomen. She was reminded not to scream, that screaming only brought more pain, but the pain was intense. Black spots covered her eyes and she lost consciousness.

-x-

Though there was only candlelight for Ginny to see by when she awoke, she could instantly tell from the white walls and sheets that she was in the Hospital Wing. She turned to her side and felt a sharp pain in her back, similar to the cramping she sometimes had during her cycle. "Madame Pomfrey!" she called out, frightened.

A hand touched her shoulder and she cringed. She was sure she would have jumped but her body was already so tense she couldn't move it any more. "Ginny, love, you need to try to relax. It's going to hurt, but it will hurt more if you stay tensed," she heard Narcissa's voice coming from behind her.

"It hurts. What happened? Is it safe?" Ginny asked, still curled on her side and tense.

Narcissa walked around the bed so she could face the young woman, and taking one of Ginny's hands, sat down. With her other hand she pushed the hair out of Ginny's eyes and tried to smooth it. "Yes, he tried to hurt you, very much. He confessed he was supposed to incapacitate you and use an illegal portkey to take you to the Dark Lord," Narcissa explained slowly.

"Who?" Ginny asked.

"Bradley. One of the young men in your Defence class. Draco said he challenged you at the end of class today, which seemed suspicious. The Headmistress got him to admit under veritaserum that he was instructed to bring you to his father, who would bring you to the Dark Lord. He chose to be returned home with no hopes of entering Hogwarts again while the wards stand. He cannot get to you, love. I think you have an army standing outside of the Hospital Wing protecting you, in any case," Narcissa explained to the young woman. She noticed Ginny starting to let go and let her body sag, but it tensed again quickly.

"It hurts. My baby isn't safe, is he," Ginny said, eyes closed and not questioning. She knew the pain wasn't normal.

Narcissa's eyes welled a bit, though Ginny couldn't see it. "No, love, the baby didn't make it. Madame Pomfrey did what she could to protect the foetus as your body worked through the spasms from the Cruciatus, but there was no heartbeat. She gave you a potion to help speed along a complete miscarriage as there was no other option. It will be an uncomfortable night," the older woman explained as she held Ginny's hands.

Ginny nodded. She didn't know about the potion, but she trusted Narcissa. She pulled a hand free from Narcissa's loose grasp and let it fall to the small protrusion that had just appeared a few days ago. She had just seen the baby for the first time on Sunday, and suddenly he was gone. She had started to feel connected, and to welcome the idea, even though she was scared. And now. Now she wasn't sure how to feel.

"Does Draco know?" she whispered. She opened her eyes to look at Narcissa, studying the woman's face. She noticed the tear tracks, and Ginny knew then it would be okay to mourn. She may not have asked for the pregnancy in the first place, but she was allowed to cry for the little life she had protected and cared for. Maybe even started to love.

"He does," Narcissa said, gazing towards the door. "He carried you here after Ernie, Neville, and he stopped Bradley. He stayed with you until Poppy cast that spell and heard no heartbeat. He's been standing outside that door."

Ginny did start to cry, then, and Narcissa gently wiped away her tears. "He needs time to figure out what he feels, love. All he wants to do is protect you. He thinks he failed. He's taken up with Ernie and Neville out there. Draco did not tell them why, specifically, but said they needed to give you peace from the others. They assume it's from being attacked," the older woman explained. Ginny nodded, tears still running down her face. She finally let her body relax as she cried.

"Could you...hug me?" she asked. Narcissa had been very caring towards her over the past three months, and Ginny needed a mother figure when her own couldn't be here. Narcissa helped Ginny sit up just enough that she could slip slightly behind the girl and wrap her arms around Ginny's shoulders and pull the girl towards her chest while the two leaned back against the hospital bed. The older woman held the girl, whispering her words of strength when she tensed with a shot of pain, and humming softly, keeping Ginny calm enough to finally drift off to sleep.

-x-

"Ginny! Wake up, love," she heard as she felt someone shaking her. She came to with a start, and immediately started talking before she could forget.

"Luna is okay! Harry, Ron, and Hermione escaped too. Tom is furious they got away before he could get to them. But they escaped! Hermione was tortured…oh Merlin, she was tortured!" she got out before she even opened her eyes. She wondered why someone was still shaking her, but realized that no one was touching her. She was shaking on her own. The dream had been frightening. She hadn't seen Tom that mad before. He was like a demon, and she had hoped he couldn't hurt her through the dream.

Finally opening her eyes, Ginny realized it couldn't be any earlier than dawn. Her lower back still hurt, but it was only a light throbbing, as if she was on her cycle. She felt dirty, though, and looked down to see bloodstains on the sheets. The tears pricked her eyes again, and she looked up to see Draco's tired face looking back at her and Madame Pomfrey standing next to her bed performing some spells. Ginny reached out to Draco and he took her hand, squeezing it gently. "Madame Pomfrey was having trouble waking you from the dream," he explained.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry," he whispered. A tear rolled down his cheek, and Ginny squeezed his hand back in response.

The Matron cleared her throat and called Ginny gently, in a very motherly tone. She let her know she was going to call for Narcissa so she could talk to the both of them. She raised an eyebrow at Draco, but Ginny just pulled his hand closer, and Poppy nodded. Privately, she was relieved the young woman had a friend and was willing to include him, considering. A patronus to Narcissa was answered by the woman entering the Hospital Wing a few minutes later, dressed neatly but comfortably, ready to assist Ginny on what was likely to be a difficult day.

Moments after that, Poppy had a pot of tea for them, with a cup of peppermint for Ginny. Narcissa helped Ginny readjust herself into a sitting position, and Ginny noticed the Matron must have cleaned the sheets after whatever other spells she had cast, as the blood was gone. The tears started down her cheeks again, but she made no noise and instead held her teacup and breathed in the peppermint as Poppy started to talk.

"The potion was successful," she started, cringing. There was no good way to speak of this. "Ginny, you will likely continue to cramp and have some minor bleeding, mostly spotting, for today, but you do not need to stay here for that if you do not wish to. I'd like for us to continue our daily breakfasts, so I can ensure that physically everything is healing well." Ginny nodded, holding her teacup as she stared down the tea inside as if she was interrogating it.

"I'd like you to remember that Narcissa and myself are both here to talk with you about anything you need, Ginny," the Matron continued. She knew the emotional healing from a miscarriage, even in a situation where the pregnancy had not been a choice, could be difficult. "And that anything you are feeling or will feel is nothing to be ashamed of." Again, the young woman just nodded, as she was finding it difficult to know what to say. Draco was still holding her hand, and he squeezed it, lending her some strength once again.

Narcissa moved to sit on the edge of Ginny's bed. "Would you like to shower, love?" she asked. When Ginny nodded, Narcissa looked to Poppy. The Matron smiled, and gestured behind her. "Would you like me to come with you?" Narcissa asked the young woman. Ginny again nodded.

"Draco. Perhaps you'd like to nap just down the hall in my room until Ginny knows where she'd like to be today?" Narcissa suggested to her son, to give Ginny some time to clean up. When he stood, squeezing Ginny's hand before letting go, Ginny whispered after him to have pleasant dreams, and Narcissa noticed he stopped for a moment, before he moved on. She suspected he had not realized just how giving of a friend he had in Ginny.

When the door closed behind him, Ginny let the tears fall. She got up, hoping the shower would wash away some of the confusion and pain.

-x-

Draco was surprisingly gentle and calm with Ginny the week of Easter break. When Narcissa and Ginny returned to their room after some time in the Hospital Wing that Friday, Draco had set up the chess board close to the couches in the common area, and had ensured the fire in the fireplace was ready. He did not push Ginny in any way, but instead stayed close and was comfortable with what Ginny wished to do.

Narcissa had been impressed with her son, especially as she knew that the emotional toll of being a support system was not easy. She encouraged Ginny as she was able and spoke with the young woman often that week. Narcissa could tell that Ginny was putting on a strong face for Draco, as she sometimes did for Narcissa as well. The older woman did encourage Ginny to be open with Draco, but the young woman seemed to focus on acting as normal as she could around him instead, and it had Narcissa worried.

She did coax a few smiles from Ginny when the young woman was able to try on and select a new wardrobe. Narcissa had called in a few favors and was able to have some clothing sent to Hogwarts by Floo and checked by the Headmistress and Professor Flitwick before the young woman was presented with them. Ginny later admitted that while it was difficult to accept the gift, the new clothing was a good way for her to feel like she could start fresh. The clothes, while only material, did not have bad memories associated with them.

Narcissa did worry about Ginny after the break, once classes were back in session. The early edition of the Daily Prophet that Friday morning had confirmed Ginny's dreams, and the young woman had been hoping Luna would return to Hogwarts after the break. When she did not return, Ginny had panicked and spent the night crying to Narcissa. While she had realized that Luna might not be able or ready to return, the blow had hurt more than she realized. She had tried the bracelet earlier with a simple, nondescript message, but had not received anything in return, and that had hurt too.

But after that night, Narcissa hadn't seen Ginny cry once. Draco stayed close, and she saw the two together often, studying or playing chess or going off to study groups, but Ginny was reserved. She appeared to be spending most of her time and energy into planning and training the other students in the Defence class. She had not told them, not even Neville or Ernie, about what had happened over the break or how she handled the attack. Instead, even the students who did not know Ginny as well could tell she had a fire for ensuring the others learned the defence topics well. She even offered to stay after classes to work with anyone who wanted or needed extra practice on the topics they had learned and those they would need to know for the year-end exams or NEWTS.

It was after the last class of April was when Draco walked into his mother and Ginny's common area to the site of Ginny shaking and crying in front of the fire. His mother was still at supper, as Neville had walked Ginny back to her room when she suddenly stood from the Gryffindor table early into the evening meal. Draco had finished as quickly as he could to go check on his friend, but thought perhaps she would be sleeping. The Defence class that afternoon had been difficult and trying for everyone, leaving them all exhausted.

He walked over to her, and sat down on the couch far enough away to give her space if she needed. "What can I do to help?" he asked. Ginny moved across the couch and leaned against Draco. He could feel her still shaking, and he quickly put an arm around her in a half hug. He did not know how long they sat there, Ginny quietly crying and he staring into the fire, but he knew his friend needed this.

"I miss him, and I don't know why," Ginny said suddenly. "He would have put my life in danger, and perhaps it was best to happen this way. But he didn't do anything wrong, and I find myself feeling empty." She sighed, unable to explain something that made no sense logically. She had tried to be logical and tell herself this was best, but the empty feeling wouldn't leave her.

Draco held her close, but not knowing what to say, he struggled to respond. He, too, had been oddly upset when he realized the foetus hadn't survived. He hadn't understood why Ginny had chosen to keep the pregnancy in the first place, but he had been protective of her nonetheless. "I miss him too," he finally said.

They stayed quiet again, thinking their own thoughts, until Ginny spoke up. "Something big is about to happen. Can you feel it?"

He nodded. "Yes. The tension is growing. I wish we knew if everyone was safe," he said, picking up on the feeling both from Ginny and the professors. Even his mother had been more reserved and gaunt when it came to discussing the war. Potterwatch episodes had been sparse after the escape of the trio, leaving those at Hogwarts even more in the dark. It was an ominous feeling that Draco recognized from the previous year, and it had been pushing all of the older students to prepare for the worst.

When Narcissa entered the room a few moments later, she saw the two sitting together on the couch, staring into the fire but otherwise calm. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief that Ginny had finally opened up to Draco, and the two appeared closer and stronger for it.

-x-

"Draco, wake up! Tom is coming here, to Hogwarts! Harry is here!" Ginny said, shouting out her door as she finished pulling her hair back securely. The dream had been frightening, but she had felt Tom's excitement at finally besting Harry.

"Here? At Hogwarts?" she heard him call back as she stepped out of her room. She saw him scrambling to change his shirt and she turned to knock on Narcissa's door to wake her mentor and mother figure. Narcissa was at the door, already dressed and wand in hand.

"My dreams have come true so far. Harry, Ron, and Hermione and somewhere in the castle," Ginny said to both as she turned back to the room. Draco, now dressed and a freshening charm cast, was looking the two women over carefully. He trusted Ginny, and knew this was very likely to be the end, one way or another.

He looked to his mother. "Does Harry know?"

She shook her head. "My sources say no. You will have to tell him, tonight, before he meets the Dark Lord," she said. She paused, then guided Ginny to Draco where she could hug them both. "The Headmistress has asked me to do something tonight that will be very difficult and potentially confusing to those who have seen me here these past few months. You must not lose faith. The precautions in place prove my work for the Order. Remember that," she said, hugging the two young adults that were her children.

"Mother?" Draco asked. "Don't tell me you are going back?"

She shook her head. "Not exactly. But I have been asked to smooth Harry's way to the Dark Lord, in any means necessary. We don't know what that will require. I've been...smoothing the waters with some of the wives, in case it is needed," she explained.

Draco hugged his mother tightly. "Watch yourself. He won't hesitate, I'm sure, no matter if Tom himself welcomes you back. Ginny would be lost if anything happened to you," he said, unable to say what he her really meant.

"I love you too, Draco," Narcissa whispered. She squeezed him just once more before releasing him to turn to Ginny. "You watch yourself, and Draco. He will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, even if it means sacrificing himself. You are a fierce pair when you duel together. I love you as if you were my own daughter." She hugged the young woman before stepping back and looking to the fireplace.

"The Headmistress was contacted by Aberforth that the trio entered Hogsmeade and he sent them to the castle via a portrait. They are likely in the Room of Requirement, or leaving there to search for what they believe is the last horcrux," she explained quickly as she pulled some Floo powder from the mantle above the fireplace. She tossed it in, and the flame flared purple. She stepped in backwards after calling for the Headmistress' office, smiling at the pair and blowing a kiss before she disappeared.

Ginny turned to Draco when the flames returned to normal. "I don't want this to be goodbye," she said. She looked up at the young man who, just under a year ago, had been her enemy but was now perhaps her closest friend. She stepped towards him and hugged him fiercely.

She felt Draco's arms wrap around her as well, one hand on the back of her head and the other around her back. "Never goodbye, love. We've just started the beginning of a very long friendship," he whispered into her hair.

When the moment was over, they parted and both exhaled. "The Room of Requirement, then?" Ginny asked, knowing what they would have to do and how difficult it would be.

"Yes. We need to know if they have destroyed the others as well," he replied. The pair headed out to track down their friends and fight in what they knew would be their last battle.

-x-

Just hours later, Ginny and Draco found themselves back in the room they had left. Ginny felt years older. Her brother, Fred, dead among so many others. Remus Lupin and Tonks, too, and Ginny recalled the night she had broken down in tears at hearing Remus' voice on the wireless. So many hurt. And there was much yet to come, she knew.

Tom had just given them an hour, and Ginny and Draco knew they had to talk to Harry. Luna had helped Harry determine what the last horcrux had been, and the trio had destroyed it. They had yet to kill Nagini, but if Harry did not know now, they could not beat Tom when the fight began again. Ginny had pulled him aside to ask him to trust her to give him vital, but horrible news. Surprisingly to Ginny, Harry had turned to Luna to ask her to accompany them, asking for her good judgement to serve as reassurance and guidance in whatever Ginny had to say.

Ginny, Draco, Harry, and Luna were in the common area of the room, with tea. Ginny didn't know what else to do and had made tea to keep her hands busy. She had been so happy to see Luna, safe, but afraid as well. Luna had changed, as had she, and they had not had a chance to talk. But Ginny suspected Luna knew part of what Ginny and Draco had to tell.

"The night Professor Snape died he passed along a message to Draco, which was confirmed later by Narcissa. Headmaster Dumbledore had told Professor Snape about the hunt for the Horcruxes after the curse from the ring had attacked his arm. But, Harry, Dumbledore didn't tell the professor about six horcruxes. He told him about seven," Ginny started in, not knowing how to start or what would make Harry believe her.

Luna was nodding, and Ginny knew her friend had figured it out previously, or had an idea of where this was heading. "Logically, Harry, she means you," Luna said in her quiet but calming manner.

Harry pushed a hand back through his hair, and sighed. "Somehow, I think I already knew. This scar has always been more than just a scar," he said, though Ginny saw a tear run down his face and his body closing in as if he was about to give up.

"Harry, I wish it didn't have to be true. I don't want to lose another of my boys," Ginny said, gasping on the last words and reaching for Draco's hand. She found it and squeezed it for comfort and strength as tears rolled down her face. She feared losing Harry, and didn't know if they could win without his confidence - confidence she found crumbling in front of her.

"I'm afraid even with all the horcruxes gone, it won't be enough. He spoke of another source of magic in dreams earlier this year," Harry admitted, face falling even more if possible. Ginny's head snapped to Harry at that, though, and she had to know.

"When did you start to see those conversations, Harry?" she asked, eyes wide.

He looked at her oddly, and then some small understanding washed over him. "Just after the new year, after the holidays when you would have been back here, at Hogwarts," he said, and then eyed her a bit more closely. "He was speaking of something to do with you, wasn't he? Luna said he had taken you for your strong familial magic in the first place."

Ginny looked to Luna, and her friend looked back with sad eyes. She knew what Tom had wished to happen during the kidnapping must have occurred. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you after the loss," she whispered, then stood and walked over to Ginny to hug her tightly.

"No, Luna," Ginny said, tears rolling down her face. "I had help. I'm sorry you were taken solely because of me. That you were alone. That I didn't think to check on you. I'm so, so very sorry." Ginny could practically feel Luna's eyes rolling as if Ginny were being absolutely ridiculous, and they hugged harder before Draco cleared his throat.

Luna took a seat to the other side of Ginny and the three turned back to Harry. "Tom did want my magic, in a way. He wanted an heir," Ginny started. Harry's eyes widened and Ginny noticed the slight movement of his eyes and he looked her over. "I do not know if he knows yet, but that potential source is no longer viable, as of Easter," she managed to get out. She still didn't know why she was crying over it, as it hadn't been her choosing, but the tears came and she let them fall.

"You were pregnant," Harry reiterated. "But you lost it?"

Ginny nodded, as Draco quietly explained. "Bradley, the Ravenclaw, used a Cruciatus on her as part of a plan to kidnap her again and return her to Tom. Apparently he didn't stop to think that such a strong curse would harm a foetus, or he wasn't told why Tom actually wanted her captured."

"Harry, if he doesn't know, it'll startle him and might give you, or someone else, time to kill Nagini," Ginny said, brain trying to focus. Their hour was almost up and Harry would have to make a decision. She looked down at her hands, not knowing how to beg him not to die while full well knowing Tom couldn't be destroyed with it.

When Harry realized Ginny wasn't going to look him in the face, he walked the few steps over to her, and then squatted until he was able to look up into her face. "I'm so sorry, Ginny. To go through all of that...because of him, because of me...you know what I have to do so he can't do this again?" he asked her. She nodded, looking at him with tears in her eyes. "And you know that I'll always care for you and will do what I can to protect you?" he asked. Again, she nodded, and then threw her arms around him. While she had spent too much time fawning over Harry to really know him as well as Ron or Hermione did, she loved him as her brother, and she did not want to lose another brother tonight, either. But tonight they all had to be adults instead of students, and that included making decisions for the greater good.

Harry gently let Ginny go, and turned to Luna, the girl who had let him know when he first saw the thestrals that death could be peaceful and graceful. He hugged her briefly, and parted with a smile when she kissed him on the cheek before reminding him to watch out for nargles when he went into the forest.

He then turned to Draco. He reached out his hand for a handshake, and once Draco took it he pulled them off to the side a bit. "You'll continue to take care of her? If she'll let you?" Harry asked the young man he knew had helped Ginny through the year.

"Even if everything was roses for the rest of the night, you couldn't get me to leave her until she asked," Draco confirmed. Ginny and he had already proved to be a fearsome pair to duel, and he planned to stay close until the fighting was over and she was safe. They were stronger and faring better together, but he also worried about what she had seen and done and wanted to be there if she needed him, particularly as he knew she hadn't slept well and was still struggling with her emotions from the past few months.

Harry nodded. "If I'm going to sacrifice myself, I might as well see if I can catch anyone off guard and incapacitate them. Any suggestions?" he asked casually as he nodded at Ginny.

"Lucius. Though I'm not sure he'll stay down until he's dead," Draco said, not stopping to think. "Luckily, we have enough testimonies this time around to lock him up for a very long time once this is all over," he allowed, though privately he thought death, even if it was his own father, would be easier on everyone involved.

Harry cursed under his breath before looking back to Draco. "You two are okay, it seems?" he asked carefully.

"It took some time. And there are still moments I catch her off guard. There are little triggers. Knives, in particular, can be rough," Draco allowed.

"Hermione, too, with knives," Harry admitted. "Bellatrix's torture is infamous, but we did not realize she preferred knife play." Draco filed that away so he wouldn't startle her, and nodded. They turned back to the room, knowing Harry had to leave if he would make Tom's deadline.

"Harry," Draco said in parting. "Watch your back. And may Merlin grant us that Dumbledore was wrong."

-x-

When Harry would tell the story later of how he survived, Ginny could hardly believe it. But it was the battle that happened when Voldemort realized that Harry was actually alive that everyone else would remember best. Neville killed Nagini as Harry disappeared from sight. That set off the battle in the Great Hall that would lead to the capture or death of all of the Death Eaters.

Ginny had seen Narcissa dueling against her husband, as he had attacked students in her care at the time. She herself had been distracted by attempting to fight off Bellatrix and did not see how it ended until her mother killed Bellatrix. Lucius had been nowhere to be found, but Narcissa was standing close by to help Molly if it had been needed. Later, Ginny learned that Lucius did not survive the battle, but Narcissa never spoke of what happened.

Everyone in the Hall had been captivated by Harry's discussion with Voldemort. Ginny panicked for a moment when Harry said that because he had disarmed Draco, the Elder Wand was his. Ginny tried to recall when that might have happened, as Draco had been disarmed a handful of times in class, but the Elder Wand obeyed Harry in the end, and Voldemort was finally finished.

She had mourned with her family, finally reunited and yet not whole. But when the time came to rest, Ginny opted to go back to her rooms near the Hospital Wing, with Narcissa and Draco. She missed her family, but after months of no contact and living with so few people, Ginny was feeling smothered and needed to grieve in her own way.

Promising her mother she would see her at the evening meal and would talk to her after, with Narcissa, the three left. They walked through the broken, littered halls silently. Narcissa and Draco stayed close, though Draco had offered Ginny a hand and she held on to it like a lifeline. When they reached Ginny and Narcissa's room, they walked in but only made it as far as the couches in the common room before they all settled in for a nap. The House Elves had already been through with fresh blankets and pillows, and soon, all three were sleeping.

-x-

Ginny woke to someone gently shaking her. She heard crying, but it took her a moment to wake up fully and realize the crying noises were coming from her. She opened her eyes to see Draco kneeling down in front of her couch, worried. "Bad memories," she whispered to him before he could ask. "I dreamt Fred was just out of reach, teasing me to catch him, and I couldn't. And then it changed to him dying. He's not coming back, and I never got to say a proper goodbye at the wedding," she tried to explain. Draco's eyes softened, still concerned, but relieved she wasn't crying because of an undiagnosed injury.

She sat up and invited Draco to sit on the couch next to her. They quietly talked of the good memories of those they knew had passed in the battle. Ginny spoke fondly of the pranks her brother loved to pull. They sat close, close enough to share the blanket Ginny had been using, and leaned on each other for strength. Narcissa woke to the sight not too much later. She found herself smiling at the two friends, knowing that this is what they had fought for. Freedom to associate with whom they wished, without fear.

And, perhaps down the road, to love whom they wished, too


End file.
